Macron bonus, meal vouchers: in the absence of wage increases, companies are looking for solutions

Abundance will come later. In companies, the share of the budget dedicated to increasing basic salaries during NAOs, the mandatory annual negotiations, has fallen from 4% to 2.5% in one year, and 7% of companies have even frozen all or part of their salary increases, something unheard of since 2021 and the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, annual salary increases are in short supply, and when they do occur, they are minor.

"Inflation is slowing significantly, so companies are adapting to the situation," Jean-Christophe Sciberras, president of the consulting firm NewBridges and former president of the National Association of Human Resources Directors, attempted to explain on RMC this Thursday, as inflation risks falling below 1% this year.

Another reason is the "very uncertain" economic context: "For many sectors, there are difficulties, such as in chemicals, retail and catering," adds Jean-Christophe Sciberras on RMC Story .

As a result, after several years of relatively generous salary increases, a slowdown is not well received: "When you have experienced 2-3 years with high percentage increases, employees are then surprised that their purchasing power seems to be declining and that the tax news is not good. And employees turn to union members who are under pressure."

Failing to raise wages, companies are finding other ways around them. In recent years, wages have been boosted by the value-sharing bonus, or Macron bonus : "Its social and tax regime is less advantageous than before, and many companies have given up on it; only 4% now grant it."

There are still some advantages: "Companies are now turning to increasing the share of meal vouchers, or the employer's share of health insurance, going from 50% to 60%, for example. These measures are concrete for employees, and they are visible," assures Jean-Christophe Sciberras.

And these parades could continue while wage increases are unlikely to take off next year either.