French business leaders face rising job losses in first half of 2026

More than 33,000 French business leaders lost their jobs in the first six months of 2026, a nearly 7% increase from the previous year, according to the GSC-Altares Observatory. This persistent economic fragility disproportionately affects small businesses, with leaders of companies employing fewer than three people accounting for approximately 75% of these job losses.

The situation is also worsening for leaders of larger SMEs. In the first half of the year, 694 leaders of companies with at least 20 employees lost their positions. For businesses with over 50 employees, job losses for leaders surged by nearly 52% compared to last year. Companies with revenues exceeding 5 million euros saw a 26.4% increase in leader job losses, while those with over 10 million euros experienced a 47.3% rise.

"The loss of a leader's job can affect all types of entrepreneurs," stated Hervé Kermarrec, president of the GSC association, emphasizing that "no business leader is safe." The GSC, established by employer organizations, provides financial support to leaders who lose their jobs. On average, affected leaders had been in their roles for nearly ten years, with those heading larger SMEs having served for almost twenty years.

The construction sector remains the most impacted, with 7,718 leaders losing their jobs, representing nearly a quarter of the national total, though this figure is stable year-on-year. Commerce follows with 6,971 affected entrepreneurs, a 3.7% increase. The accommodation and restaurant sector faces continued pressure with a 10.4% rise, affecting 5,057 leaders, while business services saw a 15.2% increase in job losses, impacting 4,770 entrepreneurs.

Geographically, the Hauts-de-France region reported the largest increase in job losses at 11%, followed by Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, both at 9.6%. Île-de-France, the country's leading economic region, accounts for nearly a quarter of all job losses, with 7,860 leaders affected, a 5.8% increase.

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La perte d'emploi du dirigeant peut toucher tous les profils d'entrepreneurs, et aucun chef d'entreprise n'est à l'abri.