Like the government, French decision makers (business leaders, executives, etc.) believe that pension reform is really a necessity.
63% of them declare themselves in favor of a reform of the pension financing system (compared to 49% of the general public) according to the latest edition of the Barometer* of decision-makers Viavoice, HEC Paris, le figaroBFM business.
But like most French people, the decision makers are massively opposed to the established media, in particular the gradual reduction to 64 of the retirement age and the extension of the duration of contributions. Only 36% are in favor.
strong concern
This generates a very strong concern in this population (74%), which is even higher than that of the general public (69%). And almost one in two decision makers (49%) fear big social movements for their company.
For decision makers, other levers can be put into operation before reaching retirement age, such as promoting the employment of the elderly (34%). 63% of them praise their knowledge about the operation of the company.
In reality, it is a job that should be encouraged more according to them by 85%. And this is the real big surprise of this study. At a time when the dominant discourses speak of a long-term decline in the value of work, the French believe that work should be “more encouraged in France”; massive and unexpected responses in a post-Covid society where self-preservation and withdrawal in the private sphere would reach their peak”, comment François Miquet-Marty and Adrien Broche from Viavoice.
Problem, for the majority of the French (60%) and decision makers (64%), the proposed reform is a “bad way” to achieve this goal.
Promote work, the reform does not respond to it
For the respondents, it is necessary at the same time to use other tools, such as setting up a contribution of employee savings to old-age insurance (17%). 15% even say they are in favor of increasing employer and employee contributions.
The postponement of the starting age is clearly the parameter that crystallizes all opposition. They are reflected in the perception of the “desired starting age” which is 60 years for 36% of decision makers. 27% want to leave at 62 and only 6% at 64. In general, 74% want to retire before the age of 64.
*: sample of 401 decision makers, representative of the population of executives residing in metropolitan France. Representativeness ensured by the quota method. And a general public sample of 1001 people, representative of the population over 18 years of age residing in metropolitan France. Representativeness ensured by the quota method. Interviews conducted online from January 12 to 17, 2023.
Source: BFM TV
