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The retirement system by distribution in France, with its financial issues, is at the heart of the debates, in particular due to the extension of the lifespan and the demographic changes which transform the landscape of employment. The question of the retirement age, the maintenance of the reform pushing this age at 64, or any adjustments to be made, raises many questions. At the same time, a problem persists: the use of seniors, which often remains linked to retirement issues, despite relatively low employment rates for over 60s. Sybille the mayor, founder of the Landoy club and delegate director of the Bayard group, sheds light on the measures to be implemented in companies to improve the situation of seniors.
Franceinfo: How to reach the financial balance of our distribution pension system? Should we come back to the question of the starting age? Maintain the reform that repels the retirement age at 64, return to it. Is it logical? Is it normal that the question of the use of seniors is always associated with that of pensions?
Sibylle the mayor: Possibly, we may give ourselves two elements of context that explain this question which is still present today. There are two phenomena that must be understood. The first is the extension of life. We have earned ten years of life over the past 50 years. So the question that can be asked is what I do with this additional time that is given to me? If I’m talking about the Popi reader, you still have to be aware.
So popi, is it for toddlers?
Let’s start there. But the reader of Popi, who is 18 months old today, will live 100 years. This is the question that we have to ask ourselves. And there is a double phenomenon, it is that there is also an effect of longevity, elongation, therefore a matter of time and a matter of mass. If we talk about babyboomers, that is to say the people who were born between 1945 and 1974, we are talking about 24 million people. At the club, we have the feeling that it is a reality from which we have not drawn the consequences of this demography.
Yes, because we see that today, the employment rate of seniors and still as low, we have employment rates over 60-64 years which is 33 % in France which is one of the lowest in Europe. So ultimately, that means that we did not draw the conclusions of this demographic issue that you have just written.
So, if I may afford, you are right and not quite anyway. So we will decompose the figures because they are important.
“Until 59 years old, let’s rejoice, France Perform. We are 76 % employment rates.”
Sybille the mayorin franceinfo
That is to say, up to 60 years, we have a job rate that is pretty good.
Everything rolls. The problem is after. And the French are not mistaken because at the club, we made a France barometer that ages And there is indeed a pivotal age at 50 in the company where the French say they have the feeling of having less access to information, less access to mobility and actually have a problem to be recruited. And that’s what you have to grasp.
So, precisely, you think about these questions within a business collective. What are the simple measures that can be implemented in companies so that this perception is not reality, to feel more useful in a company from 50 years?
So, thank you for asking this question because there are indeed easy, accessible, deployable solutions, I will give two. The first is the commitment charter for employees over 50, Charter 50+. 147 companies have signed it in France today. We sign on this charter again on April 29. So, I call on all companies who wish to sign it. It can be downloaded, accessible, with implementation that seemed relevant to all sizes, all types of businesses.
What are the simple measures that can be adopted now?
So, as simple as it may seem, communicating is already a lot. Because part of the employees of companies no longer feel considered. So we must both communicate and act with benevolence and respect and care about the question of the employability of people, that is to say, give them this projection capacity as long as possible. And employability has two feet, that of training. Education is the work of a life.
Because you said that in the perception of the older employees, they said that they no longer had access to training. It’s a reality today.
It was a reality.
“Businesses have still understood that, if only for them, to take advantage of this longevity and maintain the productivity rate in France, people must be maintained as long as possible.”
Sybille the mayorin franceinfo
And for that, they must be trained and actually participate in the mobility of people when they ask.
And where does the click come from where? It comes because there are pension reforms that follow one another and that companies today are aware that employees will stay longer within the company?
Me, I have a formula which in fact sums up this thought a little, it is that we are aware of a collective solidarity which is necessary: access to care, pensions for all. But this collective solidarity, it must also be backed by an individual responsibility. And for that, we must make these subjects very accessible to the greatest number.
And that’s why you’re talking about communication.
I’m also talking about communication. So it goes further than communication. These are also programs that are implemented within companies. I can cite two. So, you will tell me these are large companies.
I imagine that in the 150 companies, they are mainly large companies.
No way. There are very small businesses too. We are in the process of making a partnership with companies that commit for a deployment on the territories which seems to us just as relevant. We make it accessible, it is downloadable everywhere. And indeed, on these questions, there is the question of the Charter too. And then, inside the charter, we realized that there was a more particular phenomenon on people over 50 who was help for example, and we launched a coalition of companies for caregivers “caregivers, let’s talk about it.
Because in fact, employees over 50 are also often caregivers, and in any case for their older parents. Is that what you are telling us? The company must adapt?
The company must adapt and people are warned as soon as possible.
So there are devices that exist, such as progressive retirement. There is also a national interprofessional agreement which was signed last fall, which speaks of working time, that we are not obliged to work today as many hours as the others. Is that also tracks that you look closely, gradual retirement, a part-time return for seniors? Are these interesting avenues to set up within companies now?
Anything that contributes to a better well -being of employees in the company and their job retention as long as possible, in my opinion, are good solutions.
And that allows you to have a passage to retirement that is easier.
Like the cumulation of retirement employment, I want to say.
Yes, but it doesn’t work very well, you know it. These are devices that exist, but are very little used today.
Little known.
Yes, but little used too. Maybe they may not be very incentive, very attractive today for future retirees.
Certainly. But what I especially see is that they are little known on the part of the employees. There is an imparation. The barometer of France which ages says it very well. There is a very large imparation of employees retired.
There is also not a reluctance of business leaders to set up devices. They will say that it will be heaviness. Is there not also a reluctance and is there not training to do business leaders so that they put these devices in place?
They do it and do it at the level of managers. But I want to tell you, for example, on the question of caregivers, whose first reaction was to say that they will ask for time and money. We have launched a study, this is not what they ask for helping people, they require three things. The first is to have administrative support. The second is as much as possible, support, geographic mobility. And the third thing is a valuation of skills acquired.
