With unemployment continuing to rise in France, it’s worth taking an interesting look at the companies that are increasing their staff numbers
French daily newspaper Le Figaro carried out a survey of 330 companies in France who were prepared to reveal their provisional employment figures for 2015, as well as their recruitment statistics (both part-time and full-time) for 2014.
If their predictions are right, there will be marginally less employed in 2015 (281,000 as against 289,000 in 2014), but this is against a background of a sluggish economy that predicts little more than a 1% growth.
Large groups in the service industries such as distribution, energy, banking and insurance are the most confident of continuing to take on employees at the same rate, while other sectors believe that they’ll be curtailing their recruitment activity. The top employers of those who participated in the survey are:
1. McDonald’s France
The American fast-food giant continues to seduce more and more French into eating badly, but their health data from an economic point of view is not in any doubt. “We wish to continue to develop in France next year,” says Hubert Mongon, vice-president of human resources of a company that receives 540,000 applications per year.
2. Onet Propreté et Services.
The French leader in cleaning services climbs up to second place in the employers’ chart. Despite a difficult economic environment, the company intends to recruit 5,200 part-time staff, as well as 80 executives next year – besting their 2014 figures of 5,129 part-timers only.
3. GSF.
Another cleaning group, this French family firm employs 27,000 people in France and is continuing to grow, with a target of €800 million in turnover in 2016.
4. GDF Suez.
One of the big traditional French companies presided over by Gérard Mestrallet, it finds itself yet again on the upper echelons of employers in France. The world-leading energy company has over 300 different career types on offer, along with career possibilities in several countries.
5. Eurodisney.
Otherwise known as Disneyland Paris, this wonderful world of fun needs no introduction. It launched a new attraction (Ratatouille) this year and the American monster park has over 500 different trades on offer. Its 15,000 employees are represented by 100 different nationalities and speak 20 different languages. Internal promotion is encouraged in Disneyland. Well, who would ever want to leave Disneyland once you’ve got a foot in the door?