Grandstand. The French labor market responds to its own organization: in practice as well as in the collective imagination, the open-ended contract (CDI) is the norm. “Freelancing” (independent work) is not envisaged there in the same way as elsewhere. However, we are seeing both a shortage of expert profiles on the market and a fundamental movement that is attracting these same talents towards independent status.
Freelancing has increased by 92% since 2009, according to Eurostat, and the year 2020 broke all records with almost a million businesses created, despite an unprecedented health crisis. While the rise of self-employment has largely contributed to this result, the situation remains unclear both in terms of the positioning of the actors (companies and self-employed) and in relation to the regulatory framework, which must be clarified urgently. A subject that has become essential for the presidential election: how to protect workers without hindering the freedom of enterprise?
A deleterious independence
The so-called “platform” workers have no choice but to create their own structure in order to be able to work. The existence of a relationship of subordination is obvious since the prices are fixed and non-negotiable, the service noted, the schedules controlled and the platform has the power to sanction. This is what Americans call the “gig economy”, that is, the gig economy.
This independence, which is often suffered, is harmful for workers, who benefit from weak social protection, and above all benefits the platforms by allowing them to make their costs extremely flexible. Faced with this situation, Europe has decided to legislate and is considering a provision to consider these workers as presumed employees, unless proven otherwise by the platform.
But there is also another growing population of workers, highly skilled or expert, whose skills are in demand, and they go into self-employment by choice (nine out of ten no longer wish to become employees afterwards). Benefits ? Improved lifestyle, flexible work pace allowing other activities, choice of projects and clients. It’s here “talent economy”. And for them too, ever more numerous, it is becoming urgent to act.
Large groups generally suffer from a compartmentalization that leads them to conflicting objectives between operational managers, human resources (HR) and purchasing. Operational staff can only deliver the expected value by benefiting from cutting-edge expertise whenever necessary.
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