Confined, France is still largely at a standstill, with economic indicators in the red. La Dares, a government agency and one of the main producers of labor and employment statistics, took a very detailed picture of the situation in the country as of March 31, two weeks after the start. containment imposed to fight coronavirus.
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In France, one in two companies experiences a drop in activity of more than 50%. This is very marked in small businesses: almost four out of ten companies are completely stopped. The sectors most affected are those of accommodation and the automobile industry. What worries companies the most is how to organize themselves in the face of health risks; financial difficulties are behind.
The telework boom
Despite this unprecedented period, companies have made little or no cut in the workforce, thanks to partial unemployment. 11% say they have reduced positions, while 3% even say they have increased them.
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For those who had to resolve to part with employees, these are mainly non-renewal of fixed-term contracts or delayed hirings. And for those who work, DARES notes a gigantic leap in telework. At the end of March, a quarter of employees were teleworking, against less than 5% usually.