The lack of love of the French for work: four worrying signals

If the introduction of 35 hours in 1998 and 2000 logically caused the number of hours worked per year of French employees to fall compared to their European colleagues, it was also accompanied by productivity gains, linked to increased flexibility of work organization. Until the Covid pandemic, France was on an equal footing in this respect with Germany, Italy or Spain. Confinements oblige, productivity then plunged everywhere in Europe, before recovering and more or less regaining its pre-crisis levels… except in France.

This typical French dropout is largely explained by the rise in power of apprenticeship during the period, a young person who works in parallel with his studies not having the same hourly output as a more confirmed employee. But another phenomenon has been added: absenteeism has jumped in 2022, in all sectors of activity and all professional categories. Is it a “stroke of fatigue” after the strong pressure of the Covid on the physical and mental health of the assets? Or the symptom of an older and deeper disaffection with work? Opinions differ. But in both cases, there is every reason to be concerned.

“Work: the new French evil”, find our special file on newsstands since August 31 and online here.