Half of all employees in France are considering a career change, and those planning one often relate this to work related mental health. Anne Boring, Associate Professor at Erasmus School of Economics, examines how poor working conditions, stress, and burnout are driving employees in France to consider a professional shift.
The French report, “Burn-out, stress: one out of two employees envision a career change”, was published by the Observatoire du Bien-être du CEPREMAP. Co-authored by Boring and Catherine Laffineur (Université Côte d’Azur) the publication analyses survey data to understand why so many workers feel the need to change direction.
A key finding is the scale of the issue: 54% of workers in France are considering changing jobs or even careers. Among those who are actively planning a career change, the study shows a strong relationship between working conditions and mental wellbeing. 43% indicated that their job had often or very often harmed their mental health in the past year. 44% reported having taken sick leave for burnout, chronic stress, or related mental health problems. In addition, 61% said they regularly experience stress at work.
Dissatisfaction main driver for desires to change careers
To conduct the analysis, the authors used data from an IPSOS survey carried out in August 2025. The survey included a representative sample of 1,500 salaried employees in France and examined mobility intentions, job satisfaction, and working conditions.
Poor working conditions play a major role. These include a lack of recognition, an imbalance between professional and personal life, and high levels of daily stress. One of the most influential factors is a mismatch between employees’ personal values and those of their organisation. Disagreement in this area increases the likelihood of wanting to change careers immediately by 36 percentage points.
Workers experiencing mental health decline also tend to prioritise specific improvements in future roles over a specific salary. The research shows that, compared with other employees, they place far greater value on better management, a more respectful workplace atmosphere, and less stress day-to-day, even if this means accepting lower pay or reduced career opportunities. These insights highlight that many employees are primarily seeking healthier, more sustainable working environments.
Work-related stress much lower in the Netherlands
Boring also compares the French situation with broader European trends. Looking at the latest wave of the European Working Conditions Survey (Eurofound), France was slightly above the European average in 2024 regarding the percentage of workers who felt high levels of work-related stress, 23% and 22% respectively. In contrast, Boring notes, ‘workers in the Netherlands consistently report far lower levels of stress with just 10%.’
One possible explanation, Boring suggests, may relate to organisational culture: ‘Employees in the Netherlands are among the least stressed in Europe, and Dutch organisations more often prioritise the health and well-being of their employees.’ In the survey, 81% of Dutch employees agreed that their organisation prioritises wellbeing, compared to 72% in Europe overall and 66% in France.
The findings of this publication underline a pressing challenge: deteriorating mental wellbeing is shaping workers’ expectations and fuelling widespread interest in career change, particularly in France. They also point to a growing need for healthier work environments that support both mental health and long-term professional fulfilment.
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For more information, please contact Ronald de Groot, Media and Public Relations Officer at Erasmus School of Economics, rdegroot@ese.eur.nl, or +31 6 53 641 846.
