2024-11-04 06:32:00
Is the political crisis slipping on employees? That of the “yellow vests” and the Covid epidemic had damaged their morale. This time, this is not the case, if we are to believe the new edition of the Barometer of the state of social dialogue in France unveiled by “Les Echos”. In 2019 and 2022, “weariness” dominated when employees were asked about their state of mind in their professional life. This feeling has fallen by 8 points this year.
Cited by 27% of the 1,681 people questioned, it returned to second place, behind the “confidence” mentioned by 31% of private and public employees excluding civil servants interviewed by Ipsos for Cevipof and the Dialogues association, a think tank of trade unionists and human resources professionals. The feeling of worry has also fallen sharply, to 21% compared to 29%, while distrust, which concerned nearly one in five people two years ago, is now only mentioned by barely one in five. ten this year.
Employees now more confident than suspicious
At the end of an episode of strong recovery in inflation, after the failure of the mobilization against the pension reform, although massive, one could have imagined a certain despondency. The proportion of employees ready to march to defend their interests has however increased, to 57%. With, however, a downside on combativeness because the strike is less successful this year in influencing company decisions: it is cited by 19% of people compared to 31% in 2022.
But the trend observed since Covid continues: unions continued to see their image improve among employees until this year. While a third of people considered union action effective in the previous edition of the barometer, this is now 45%. Confidence in employee organizations is still in the minority, but it has still jumped from 36% to 42%.
Proximity bonus
The survey confirms on this point the challenge for them to develop their establishments. 48% of employees say they trust the company’s union leaders, 6 points more. If there is a difficult step to take from support to commitment – only 15% of employees consider union membership effective – proximity is an essential element: before voting for an acronym, we first vote for the candidates we know in professional elections, with the first expectation “that he or she relays the voice of employees”.
This proximity bonus is also found in the employees’ point of view on negotiation. “This is the only question in the barometer which has undergone such a significant evolution,” underlines Martial Foucault, from Cevipof. The survey indeed shows a clear and continuous progression at the company level. In 2019, 49% of employees believed that it should be prioritized. This rate has risen continuously to reach 60% this year, mainly to the detriment of sectoral negotiation.
Employees’ appetite for negotiations carried out within the company is constantly increasing.Les Echos
One in two employees considers social dialogue effective.Les Echos
Dialogue between managers and employees, daily social relations, collective negotiation or exchanges in the CSEs… There is no doubt, for 80% of employees, social dialogue, which can take many forms, does exist in their company, with two priority themes in particular: salaries and purchasing power as well as working conditions.
However, only one in two considers this social dialogue effective. And when we ask them to identify the cause of the dysfunctions, three emerge: method problems, people problems and the organization of social dialogue. Then comes the distancing of managers and elected officials.
Business management too
This subject is not minor, far from it. With clearly an issue of reaching out to new hires for the unions: the absence of contact is all the more frequent as the employee has little seniority: 57% are in this case if it is less than three years. This drops below 40% after fifteen years of seniority.
Those who prefer to see the glass half full will note that a little more than one in five employees working in companies without staff representatives have nevertheless encountered one in the last six months. But where there are staff representatives, a third have never met one.
Company management must also question themselves on the subject. For good reason, 18% of employees surveyed by Ipsos claim to have never had “a meeting with a management representative or [son] line manager”. The presence of staff representatives is clearly a spur in this regard for companies since in their absence, 24% of employees are in this situation.
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#EXCLUSIVE #failure #mobilization #pensions #employees #confidence #unions
**Interview with Martial Foucault on the State of Social Dialogue in France**
**Interviewer**: Thank you for joining us today, Martial. Recent findings from the Barometer of the State of Social Dialogue in France indicate a notable shift in employee sentiment. Could you start by summarizing the primary findings of this barometer?
**Martial Foucault**: Thank you for having me. Indeed, the latest barometer reveals a significant change in employee morale compared to previous years. This year, we see that 31% of employees report feeling confident in their workplace, overtaking the notion of “weariness,” which now stands at 27%. Additionally, feelings of worry and distrust have declined significantly, with only 21% and 10% of employees expressing these sentiments, respectively. This indicates a clearer trend towards confidence rather than skepticism among employees.
**Interviewer**: This change in morale is quite intriguing, especially considering the backdrop of a recent political crisis. Why do you think there has been a shift away from weariness and distrust?
**Martial Foucault**: Several factors could contribute to this shift. First, the end of the intense financial pressures caused by inflation, which influenced collective sentiments. Additionally, the way employees perceive the effectiveness of unions has improved; there’s been a notable increase in the belief that union actions are effective—now at 45%, up from one-third in the previous assessment. This growing confidence in collective representation likely plays a role in enhancing overall employee morale.
**Interviewer**: The report also indicates an increased willingness among employees to stand up for their interests. Can you elaborate on this trend?
**Martial Foucault**: Certainly. Interestingly, while the ardor for striking seems to be less effective this year—down to 19% from 31% in 2022—the willingness to mobilize for one’s rights has actually increased to 57%. This reflects a paradox where employees are more ready to defend their interests, yet they feel that traditional forms of protest may not be the most effective means to achieve workplace changes.
**Interviewer**: The barometer highlights a growing preference for negotiations at the company level over sector-wide negotiations. What led to this preference?
**Martial Foucault**: Yes, this is quite significant. The preference for company-level negotiations has gradually risen from 49% in 2019 to 60% this year. This shift suggests that employees are increasingly valuing the impact of direct negotiations with their employers over broader sector discussions, likely due to the perceived immediacy and relevance of addressing their specific workplace issues. Employees seem to believe that localized negotiations can produce tangible results.
**Interviewer**: How do you interpret the findings regarding trust in union leadership? There’s been a reported increase in trust.
**Martial Foucault**: Absolutely, trust in union leaders has risen by 6 points to 48%. This indicates that employees are finding value in the presence of union leaders who they feel represent their interests effectively. However, it’s crucial to note that only about 15% consider union membership to be effective. This suggests that while trust is growing, there is still a gap in fully embracing unionization as a collective strategy for workplace improvement.
**Interviewer**: what do you think the broader implications of these trends are for the future of labor relations in France?
**Martial Foucault**: These trends indicate a potential shift towards a more collaborative work environment, where employees feel empowered to voice their concerns and negotiate directly with employers. As perceptions of union effectiveness improve and employees seek to engage with their leadership more, we may witness a transformation in how labor relations function in France. If these confidence levels sustain, they could lead to more proactive dialogue and constructive outcomes for both employees and employers.
**Interviewer**: Thank you, Martial, for sharing these insights. It’s clear that the landscape of social dialogue in France is evolving, and it’ll be interesting to see how these trends develop.
**Martial Foucault**: Thank you for the opportunity to discuss these important findings.
