Exclusif France: generative AI and older workers central to BPCE’s skills management strategy National industrial relations On 17 July 2025, BPCE and its trade unions signed a second agreement on jobs and career management within the banking group. The text places generative artificial intelligence at the core of its skills strategy and introduces measures in anticipation of the forthcoming law on older workers. It also establishes dedicated social dialogue on the use of generative AI.
France: La Poste’s diploma programme for staff helps meet its cybersecurity needs Professional development Between 2024 and the summer of 2025, La Poste Group (200,000 employees in France) created a programme for around 10 employees who were trained and then graduated in cybersecurity with the help of specialist company Sysdream. They benefited from a dedicated internal upskilling programme, the so-called 'marked routes’, designed as part of the group's social agreement. The project responds to a growing need for cybersecurity in a company undergoing rapid change due to its digitalisation.
Data mind RH analysis – Agreements focused on older workers more common in France but still heavily focused on end-of-career arrangements National industrial relations At a time when a bill on the employment of experienced workers is about to be adopted in France, mind RH has analysed French company agreements on the employment of older workers that have been signed since the dedicated national interprofessional agreement (accord national interprofessionnel, ANI) of 14 November 2024. Though our analysis shows that social partners recognise the need to support the employability of workers aged 50 and over, measures to facilitate early retirement remain the preferred option.
Germany: what impact will the return of military service and efforts to boost reserve forces have on businesses? National legislation Germany wants to significantly increase its military personnel to bolster its ability to defend itself. This push will involve reintroducing military service, either voluntary or compulsory, and doubling the number of reservists. Last week, Chancellor Friedrich Merz asked businesses to support this effort whatever the cost. While waiting for a new legislative framework, the business community is discussing the impact of such measures on labour availability and on the training opportunities offered by the army.
Réglementaire Free EU: Danish presidency promises little on social matters European legislation The Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, which begins on 1 July, promises to be light on social issues. While the Nordic centre-left government has indicated that it wants to defend free movement, “decent working conditions”…
Germany: Volkswagen creates new structures to accelerate job cuts With at least 20,000 early departures already confirmed, Volkswagen's plan to reduce its German workforce appears to be on schedule. However, the extensive restructuring at Europe's leading car manufacturer, which is expected to generate annual savings of €1.5 billion, is far from complete, and the automotive giant has developed an internal mobility and external redeployment scheme comprising a 'transformation office' and a 'prospects workshop'.
France: Apicil bolsters diversity policy with new agreement National industrial relations French insurer Apicil (2,000 employees) signed a new four-year agreement on diversity and inclusion with the CFDT, CFE-CGC and UNSA trade unions on 18 February 2025. Through this agreement, the group reaffirmed its commitments on eight priority areas, which are designed to cover the 26 criteria for discrimination established by law, while raising its targets as part of a continuous improvement process, particularly in terms of gender equality and parenthood.
United Kingdom: youth employment plan seeks to reduce reliance on foreign workers National legislation Addressing skills shortages and reducing skilled immigration are the objectives of the plan announced on 27 May by UK education secretary Bridget Phillipson.…
Italy: collective agreement for gas and water sector launches new joint initiatives National industrial relations On 8 May, employer and trade union organisations in Italy's gas and water sector penned a deal to renew the sector's collective agreement, which covers around 50,000 employees in nearly 600 companies across the country. The new collective agreement provides for bilateral training projects on regulation and technological innovation, paves the way for a reduction in working hours with no loss of pay and increases the focus on vulnerable workers.
France: how insurer Maif is rolling out an action plan on generative AI built with employees Professional development In February, French mutual insurance group Maif unveiled a series of measures on generative AI. They take up the proposals resulting from an innovative process that brought together randomly selected employees and experts. Covering numerous themes of ethics, governance and training, they have been adopted almost in their entirety by the company. Evelyne Llauro-Barrès and Nicolas Siegler, deputy managing directors in charge of human resources and information systems, respectively, reveal the challenges for the insurance company when speaking to mind RH.
