This is what emerges from the latest survey carried out by Syntec (bringing together the actors of the consulting profession) and deciphered by the 3 journalists Marion-Simon Rainaud, Chloé Marriault and Julia Lemarchand on the columns of Echos Start on November 28 last.
“How to keep their resources?” has become the Chinese headache for strategy consulting firms in France. The link with Morocco is direct when we know that the Moroccan students who have distinguished themselves and have chosen the royal path of the preparatory classes (and there are many of them even if there are no statistics available) land almost naturally in a major consulting firms in France. Today, the hemorrhage of departures is quantifiable. According to the same source, “every year, 25% of consultants leave their post”. Work overload, stress, rigidity of tasks, a hierarchy that is too vertical would be the main causes. The results of the survey already show the average age of council employees, namely 30.8 years. Plus, 81% of the workforce is under 35 years old.
According to the Syntec Conseil report, “young people are the fuel of this sector, whose payroll has doubled in ten years and whose turnover in 2021 was around 8 billion euros (i.e. +12% compared to to 2020). But Sami Rahal, the president of the French Federation of Multidisciplinary Firms (F3P) which brings together seven firms (BDO, Deloitte, EY, Grant Thornton, KPMG, Mazars and PwC), is categorical in his statement on Les Echos: “Today , the challenge is to keep young talent. We lose them a little too soon for our taste! The verdict is in. “Each year, a quarter of the workforce leaves their post, according to the latest Syntec estimates”. The workload can reach 23 hours at peak office times, young consultants told the media. The deal having been clarified from the start, it has been said many times by recruiters… What is certain is that the tension is real. Housed in the same boat, the young Moroccan consultants have either taken the fold, or set up on their own account or completely changed course. Some who have followed courses of excellence, however, no longer manage to set limits during their time in a consulting firm. The risk of burnout is great… This is the case for many students, including Moroccans, who continue to fuel coffee and nicotine endlessly… Result of the races: the number of sick days has increased in this population. Caroline Mannucci-Strauss, freelance HR consultant for two years, after a career at EY, Bluestone and Simon-Kucher & Partners confirms the trend towards the Les Echos team. “How many have come to cry in my office… The world of consulting is a great school for the business world, it’s also a burn-out machine! »
Each year, a quarter of the workforce leaves their post, according to the latest estimates from Syntec. The workload can reach 23 hours at peak office times, young consultants told the media.
All is said. Or almost. According to the analysis of the 2021 social report, “the number of days of sick leave greater than six months has been multiplied by 2.5 in four years within EY teams”.
This is the title of the box
Status. In France, settling on one’s own account has become the trend for young people who have invested in consulting but who can no longer keep up with the frantic pace of the missions entrusted by the employer. Following the same logic, young Moroccan recruits do the same, especially among the best profiles. According to the survey carried out above, examples were cited. In general, consultants who want to move away from the pressure of the salary in a consulting firm also adopt freelance by forming partnerships with viable clients. The trend is there. Telework has also entered into modern management and accelerates mobility or relocation processes. Moroccan students have understood this. Many are those who, after having capitalized on a convincing experience, follow this path. Social safety nets exist in France. The risk of precariousness is lower than in Morocco.