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For a long time, working people did not dare to interrupt their careers for fear of ending up with a gap in their CV. But more and more of them are temporarily leaving their jobs to pursue a personal project. A phenomenon closely linked to the extension of working life.
More than a third of French people are considering interrupting their professional career for a few months to travel, get involved, take a step back or enjoy life, according to an Indeed* survey. They are toying with the idea of taking a sabbatical, a long-term unpaid leave, or simply taking a break for a few months, before returning to the office. 16% of those questioned in this survey even say they already have fairly specific plans in this regard.
Unsurprisingly, this aspiration is very present among workers under 35. 47% of them express the desire to take time to carry out a project that is important to them. A figure that reflects the sense of urgency that drives the younger generations. New entrants to the job market are much more focused on the short term than their elders. The notion of a “career plan” means little to them and they do not fear that their professional break will harm them in a job interview.
In addition, French people who want to take a “break” during their career are convinced that they will not be able to achieve their personal projects when they reach retirement age. The overwhelming majority of those surveyed (89%) believe that they should consider taking a break in the short or medium term while they are in good shape. Because, with the lengthening of careers, there is no guarantee that they will be fit enough to do so when they are older, or even that they will have the time or the means. Indeed, 85% of working people fear having to continue working when they reach retirement age, in order to get by financially.
Several companies, including Orange, Accenture and Mazars, allow their employees with several years of seniority to take temporary leave, while receiving all or part of their salary. But these schemes are still rare in France, although they allow employers to retain employees while enhancing their brand image.
*This survey was conducted by OpinionWay for Indeed from May 7 to 9, 2024, among 1,165 people representative of the French working population aged 18 and over, as well as an oversample of people working for themselves (self-employed, liberal professions, etc.) in order to reach a total of 230 independent workers.