The number of temporary workers in France decreased by 5.8% in August 2023 when compared to the same period a year ago, according to the latest Prism’emploi barometer.

The August fall is a further decline from the 2.3% yearly decline seen in July. It is also 2.5% below the average change measured since the start of the year (-3.2%). The barometer said this trend must be interpreted with caution, as activity in August is traditionally disrupted by holidays. September data should shed more light on the trend for the last quarter of 2023, it added.

After experiencing more favourable developments since the end of the first quarter, temporary employment in the industrial sector fell by 5.4% in August, and is now converging towards the average trend.

Services (-5.6%) and transport-logistics (-6.1%) recorded declines of comparable magnitude.

The commerce sector, penalised by household consumption, remains marked by a 13.5% decline in temporary staff. 

With a 0.3% decline in August, the rebound in temporary work in construction observed in June-July came to an end.

Among qualifications, temporary employment decreased among managers and intermediate professions (‑0.5%), skilled workers (‑3.6%), unskilled workers (‑7.1%) and employees (‑11.4%).