After the shock of the successive confinements of 2020, hirings on permanent and fixed-term contracts of more than one month, excluding temporary workers, exceeded their pre-crisis level in 2021 (+ 24.3%). For its part, the number of category A job seekers fell (-12.4%). Driven by significant job creation, not entirely in line with the growth in activity, the labor market has recovered. And it continues.
The Dares (which reports to the Ministry of Labor) underlines this Thursday, September 8, 2022 that private salaried employment increased by 0.5% in the second quarter in France (i.e. 93,000 net job creations). In the first quarter, private salaried employment had already increased by 0.4% (+88,200).
On the downside, many companies complain that they cannot find candidates for the positions they have to fill.
Read also: MAINTENANCE. “What surprises are not the unemployment figures, but the job creations”
Recruitment difficulties that would justify a reform
To remedy this, the government wants to review the rules of unemployment insurance. Despite the hiccups and the forced passage of the 2019 reform, he wants to go further, arousing the anger of the unions. In the line of fire: reduce the duration of benefits and tighten the conditions for opening rights when the economic situation is favourable.
Asked by France Info on September 7, 2022, the Minister of Labor Olivier Dussopt mentioned the idea of increasing the contribution period from 6 months to 8 months or of seeking 6 months of work over 18 months instead of the current 24 months. Remember that the 2019 reform, finally coming into force at the end of 2021had already increased the length of membership required from 4 months to 6 months.
In this way, the government suggests without hiding it that some would rather remain unemployed than accept the jobs that come their way. It clearly displays its desire to push job seekers towards sectors in tension, without really questioning their lack of attractiveness and at the risk sometimes of devaluing the qualifications of job seekers.
Read also: Unemployment, pensions… Do the social partners still have a role to play?
Moreover, Pôle emploi is working on setting up a “Pool of motivated candidates who are ready for employment or likely to be so with rapid adaptation action” to direct them towards the sectors most “in tension” in each of its approximately 900 branches. This is what emerges from internal documents (Pôle emploi recognizes ” work documents “) consulted on September 8 by The world and theAFP mais which had originally been revealed by Mediapart . 23 trades “particularly tense” have been identified. They range from cook to nurse to delivery man. The document refers to a “operational implementation” of the plan as of September 19. By this date, a follow-up portfolio of 150 to 200 candidates would be created in each agency.
The nurses are sorely lacking
It is in this equally economic and political context that the Dares is publishing indicators on the tensions on the labor market on September 8. According to these data, they have reached their highest level since 2011. They are thus increasing in practically all occupations and are particularly strong in those of construction, industry, IT and telecommunications, as well as among nurses. In total, 7 out of 10 professions (representing two-thirds of employment) are under high or very high pressure in 2021, compared to 6 out of 10 in 2020.
As a reminder, the DARES measures the tensions on the labor market by taking into account three dimensions: recruitment difficulties anticipated by employers; the number of job vacancies compared to the number of job seekers and finally, the ease of job seekers finding a job.
The top 30 occupations in tension changed little in 2021 compared to 2020. Nursing, which is one of the occupations where tension has increased the most, is entering it. Just like skilled workers working by removing metal, expert technicians, supervisors and similar workers in the process industries, carpenters and layout and insulation workers.
Conversely, five professions leave the top 30: home helpers and housekeepers (in particular because there is little specific training required), engineers and administrative executives, computer maintenance, work professionals in the stone and related materials, other paramedical professionals, and medical device specialists. Dares also notes that three-quarters of the top 30 are construction and industrial trades.
Reduced pools
But what explains these tensions? Very high hiring volumes, degraded working conditions or even a lack of candidates? “Among the thirty professions most in tension in 2021, three-quarters are facing a reduced pool (strong, even very strong lack of available labor) and two-thirds are recruiting intensely (strong or very strong intensity of hiring). » In addition, “Almost all of the jobs in the top 30 require specific training (strong and very strong training-employment link). In a few cases, such as that of vehicle mechanics and electronics, the mismatch is rather qualitative: the profession is in tension despite a sufficient pool of available labour. The tensions then come from a lack of training, a very strong need for recruitment or restrictive working conditions which slow down candidates. » For two-thirds of the professions in the top 30, the candidates do not live in the geographical area of the jobs to be filled.
Read also: Employment: is the French “Great Resignation” a mirage?
And catering in all this? At a time when we are talking about the Great Resignation, it is very often put forward as a symbol of recruitment difficulties. However, none of its businesses was part of the Top 30 in 2021. On the other hand, at the level of the sector as a whole, Dares notes that with the strong increase in activity and hiring in the second half of 2021, the average tensions over the year increased especially for employees and management of the hotel industry, as well as for waiters and maîtres d’hôtels.
Finally, note in transport that the increase is significant for truck drivers and public transport drivers on the road, who were already tight jobs in previous years.