France/Covid-19: Lack of anticipation the main challenge for local authorities, according to a study

Published on 21/05/2021 | La rédaction

France

Lack of foresight and anticipation in the face of an unprecedented situation and lack of protective equipment were the main challenges for local authorities during the first containment due to the Covid outbreak, according to a study on the impact of the crisis.

The study commissioned by local government representatives (AMF, ADF, CNFPT, FNCDG and Régions de France) was carried out by e-mail from 21 October to 12 November 2020: 4,022 responded to the questionnaire sent to all municipalities and inter-municipalities in France.

The first obstacle encountered in human resources management by local authorities was the lack of hindsight and anticipation in the face of an unexpected situation (43% of authorities).The first obstacle encountered in human resources management by local authorities was the lack of perspective and anticipation in the face of an unexpected situation (43% of local authorities), followed by the lack of protective equipment (41%) and contradictory instructions from government services (35%).

"The survey reveals first of all that many communities had not, at the time of theThe survey reveals that many local authorities had not adopted abusiness continuity plan(BCP) at the time of the first lockdown," the document points out. "However, it appears that few of them mentioned difficulties related to the continuity of their activities," it adds.

Thus, 65% of local authorities have adopted a BCP, including 23% that at the time of the announcement of the containment. Not surprisingly, "the departments and regions had all adopted a BCP, overwhelmingly before the announcement of the first containmentAs a result of the first containment, "the departments and regions had all adopted a BCP, the vast majority before the announcement of the first containment", against "42% for the communes, 37% for the communities of communes and 45% for the communities of agglomerations".

Within the framework of the first containment, the study shows that a presence on site was required for a minimum number of agents, mainly ensuring : civil status (81% of communities), accounting (74%), waste collection (56%)(74%), garbage collection (56%), HRD (43%) and the funeral service (39%).

The right of withdrawal, which is a complicated procedure, was rarely used by local employees: 8% of responding local authorities were concerned (2% did not say). Invoking the right of withdrawal almost always met with a favourable response from the local authority (86%). Only 6% of the authorities requested that the employee return to work.

Local authorities could decide on the specific payment of an exceptional bonus to employees who were particularly mobilized to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic. Only 29% of the responding local authorities decided to institute the Covid bonus, and in nearly a quarter of the authoritiesOnly 29% of the responding local authorities had decided to introduce the Covid bonus, and in nearly a quarter of the authorities (22%) that had introduced it, all employees benefited from it.

Source: www.weka.fr


Did you like this article? Share it ...

comments

Leave a comment

Your comment will be published after validation.