a way to flourish in your job or retrain in a secure environment

Being a cider maker and consultant at the same time, or HR director in a ministry and psychoanalyst, that’s “slashing”. The SME show, dedicated to the self-employed, opens its doors on Monday, September 23, at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, with several conferences dedicated to slashers, those active people who combine several activities.

The SME trade fair, dedicated to independents, opens its doors on Monday at the Palais des Congrès in Paris, with several conferences dedicated to slashers, those workers who combine several activities.

franceinfo: What is multi-activity in business? The show which opens on Monday September 23 in Paris is devoting several events to “slashing”…

Sarah Lemoine: Marine Vibler is 28 years old. After finishing her studies six years ago, she landed a permanent contract as a consultant at Forvis Mazars, a firm specializing in auditing. After a year, she felt that it was not the job of her life, and began to explore other things outside of her working hours. First in the community, as a first-aider at the Red Cross. Then she tried hypnosis, which she really liked, to the point of gradually training, with some unpaid leave. Marine Vibler finally asked her employer to increase to 80%.

For a year and a half, she slashed, that is to say she combined her activity as a salaried consultant, from Monday to Thursday, and that of a hypnotherapist, independently, on Fridays, with the support of her hierarchy.

When she returned from maternity leave a year ago, she finally asked for a mutual termination agreement to devote herself 100% to her second activity. She obtained it without difficulty. Today, she thinks that if her company had put obstacles in her way, she would have left more quickly.

Why was his employer accommodating?

At Forvis Mazars, the average age is 29. Like other audit firms, the company is struggling to attract and retain younger generations. “They want to get involved, but don’t necessarily want to lock themselves into a single profession”explains Frédérique Menou, director of employee experience.

In 2019, the firm removed the exclusivity clause from its employment contracts to allow slashing. On condition that it does not develop a competing activity, does not hold two salaried jobs, and does not harm the company.

An internal charter, in January 2023, further formalized the approach. The challenge, “It’s about keeping employees longer,” emphasizes Frédérique Menou. Knowing that multi-activity does not necessarily end with a reconversion.

Do other companies promote multi-activity?

According to Marielle Barbe, author of a book on slashers, many companies are realizing that employees need a second activity to find an overall balance. But in reality, it’s more complicated, she says. “In the collective imagination, if an employee has time to do something else, it’s because he doesn’t have enough work in his company”. Much remains to be done, she said, to “raise awareness and acculturate companies on this subject”.