Sociologist Jean-François Amadieu, a specialist in work organisations, heads the Discrimination Observatory which he set up in 2003. A professor at the University of Paris-I-Panthéon-Sorbonne, he has just published DRH, the black book, (Seuil), which paints an uncompromising portrait of management practices in France.
Being a senior citizen, looking ungrateful or being unionised hinders or even blocks recruitment, pay rises or career development. The eighteen grounds of discrimination provided for in the relevant law feature prominently in this black book, which describes the insidious ways in which the laws are often circumvented within the company. For example, employers use assessment tests that certain categories of employees always fail. According to Amadieu, social belonging, which is still absent from diversity surveys, is the most important discriminating factor on the labour market.
Jean-François Amadieu, have human resources policies changed since 2008?
The crisis has fostered discrimination in the labour market. The activity of the Rights Defender, who receives complaints in this area, is not at the same level as the activity of his predecessor, the Halde [High Authority for the Fight against Discrimination and for Equality], between 2005 and 2008. The flow of complaints had risen sharply, awareness of the institution had risen considerably, and companies feared the Halde. Its impact was significant. Today, companies feel less at risk.
The measures available since 2008 are surveys and unemployment figures, which indicate that the number of discriminations has increased. The situation has deteriorated and continues to deteriorate, particularly for senior citizens.
What are the practices that tended to disappear and are increasing again?
There are some diversities that please and others that don't. The latest survey by the Defender of Rights reveals a sharp deterioration in the situation of senior citizens. Companies do not want senior citizens. On this point, the crisis effect is obvious.
It accentuates youthfulness. For employers, a 25-year-old employee will always be able to keep up with the pace of a 60-year-old employee, if only for health reasons. Youthfulness has increased discrimination against older people and physical appearance.
According to the surveys, physical appearance is always between the 3rd and 5th rank of discrimination, this is not at all anecdotal. We are not making progress, we are going backwards. The law for equal opportunities introduced the use of anonymous CVs in 2006. However, not only has its use remained very marginal, but a recent survey by the Association for the Employment of Professional and Managerial Staff (Association pour l'emploi des cadres) shows that 18% of companies think it is important to have a photo on a CV.
Managers themselves consider that their CV should include a photo. Employers are "googling" and the use of video CVs is spreading, introducing a new subjectivity that reinforces discrimination. Judgement of a candidate's appearance as a whole, from skin colour to weight, is taken back to the CV sorting stage.
However, beyond the 30% to 40% of jobs for which there is real competition between candidates, the first factor of discrimination is recruitment by relationship. The context of tension on the labour market reinforces all modes of discrimination based on social origin - network effect, co-optation, nepotism. The pressure of networks is stronger than ever.
Especially since this type of discrimination is not addressed. In six investigations by the Defender of Rights, the question of family sponsorship to find an internship or a job has never been asked in discriminatory terms, even though it has a massive effect even on wages and career development. Many find it normal, without any economic justification.
In times of crisis, performance is more than ever the priority for companies. It is for this reason that many companies discriminate. Why is the link between discrimination and performance a mistake?
The issue of diversity should not be approached in terms of a performance factor. Because discrimination is a practice that should not exist, whether it produces performance or not!
It can be argued that a diverse workforce is a source of overall company performance. Studies carried out for La Poste or SFR have shown the positive impact of integrating people with disabilities, but other entrepreneurs will put forward examples where it is undeniably profitable to discriminate. This subject should not be addressed at company level. It is a social problem that is a matter for laws that must be imposed on everyone.
How effective is the diversity label born with the crisis in 2008?
The label created to measure progress in the fight against discrimination has prompted companies to question their human resources (HR) practices. It has also provided HR managers with a tool to support their discourse and approach to financial directors and local managers.
On the other hand, the great weakness of the label is that it is not binding, so that many companies, although labelled, still have discriminatory practices. The label rewards efforts that go in the right direction, but does not prevent discrimination.
What are the levers that can encourage companies to limit discrimination despite the crisis?
Depending on the area, this may be case law or the action of trade union organisations. Management in other countries can also spread good practices thanks to globalisation. The United States, for example, is ahead of anonymous recruitment. For example, in symphony orchestras, interviews are held in which the candidate for recruitment plays behind a curtain.
This was favourable to parity. More than the law and the action of trade unions, it is awareness raising that will be a key element in combating discriminatory practices.