Survey highlights professional uncertainty in France

An unpublished survey conducted by Chance.co reveals that 31% of working people in France seriously question their professional future. The study, carried out between August and September 2026, involved 18,065 participants and highlights a growing sense of uncertainty among workers.

Younger workers most affected

Those under 25 are most impacted, with 42.8% experiencing what is called "structural seum," a term referring to a deep sense of unease about one's career path. This is 1.8 times higher than the rate among those aged 55 and over (23.6%).

Seum score reflects dissatisfaction

The survey measures a "seum score" on a scale from 0 to 100, with an average of 46.8, indicating widespread dissatisfaction. The highest scores are among those aged 25-34 (35.9%) and 35-44 (34.9%), showing that mid-career workers are particularly concerned about their future.

Regional differences in professional unease

Professional uncertainty varies by region, with Hauts-de-France recording the highest average score of 50.0 out of 100, indicating that over 40% of workers there are experiencing distress. In contrast, workers in regions abroad have only 27.9% of structural seum, highlighting differences in working conditions across French regions.

Cost of disengaged employees

Professional unease leads to financial losses for companies. According to international studies, a disengaged employee can cost between 10,000 and 15,000 euros annually in lost productivity, absenteeism, and turnover. In France, this could affect nearly 9 million workers, based on the survey's findings.

Turnover and reorientation support

Industrial and technological sectors are particularly affected by high turnover, with a rate of 25% among young graduates under 30, compared to 8% for all employees. This has spurred growth in the market for reorientation support, with Chance.co helping over 50,000 people since 2016 through skill assessments and mutual aid groups.

Digital platforms and training investment

Digital platforms are increasingly capturing a share of the reorientation market by offering remote training tailored to working professionals. Training a young graduate costs around 15,000 euros, an investment that can be lost if the employee leaves the company early.

Survey methodology and gender bias

The survey, conducted online between August 21 and September 30, 2026, used an anonymous ten-question test. While the sample had a gender bias, with 80% of respondents being women, the generational and regional differences identified are consistent with other studies on workplace well-being.

A call for adaptation

Ludovic de Gromard, co-founder of Chance.co, sees this doubt not as a failure but as a signal for reorientation. The challenge now is whether companies and public policies can adapt to this shift, which may redefine the social contract between employees and employers.