French Job Market Perceptions: Insights from Unédic’s Barometer

2023-12-07 11:12:05

The French perceive the slowdown in the job market and therefore take a more softened view of job seekers. This is one of the lessons of fifth edition of the unemployment and employment perception barometer, published Wednesday, December 6, by Unédic – the joint association which manages the unemployment insurance system – and produced with the Elabe institute. A survey carried out on the Internet from August 29 to September 25 with a representative sample of some 4,500 people (including 1,500 job seekers), using the quota method.

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As in 2022, one in two French people still believe that job seekers are responsible for their situation, a pause following uninterrupted progression since March 2020. A sign that the French view is less critical, the developments in society are a new once cited as the leading cause of unemployment, they are rising once more (+ 2 points, to reach 61%) following a sharp drop during the previous edition. Furthermore, for nearly three out of four French people, unemployment is still a situation suffered rather than chosen. However, suspicion towards job seekers remains present, since 50% of those questioned consider that most unemployed people are not really looking to find a job. However, criticism of “the assisted unemployed” fell slightly (39% to − 3 points).

This stagnation in the French’s perception of the unemployed is largely explained by a more pessimistic view of the job market. For the first time since 2020, respondents consider that the employment situation is no longer improving and workers are therefore more fearful of unemployment. As a result, the latter are more “benevolent” towards the unemployed. “This fifth component marks a link between the capacity for empathy for job seekers and the employment situation”analyzed Laurence Bedeau, associate director of Elabe, during the presentation of the results to the press.

Paradoxical feelings

The survey shows that 51% of those questioned believe that the employment situation is deteriorating. Only 14% think it is improving, compared to 16% in 2022, a first decline following an increase in sentiment since July 2020. As a reminder, the unemployment rate in France increased in the third quarter of the year. , to reach 7.4%, while it had only fallen since 2017. Above all, economists anticipate an even stronger rise, to 8%, by 2025 or 2026. The French therefore do not seem to very optimistic for the future while Emmanuel Macron has made full employment – ​​around 5% unemployment – ​​the main ambition of his second five-year term.

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