Unreadable by many people, payslips drown in their own complexity. Very regrettable. Indeed, this not only reflects how much we earn, but also shows how we live together.
Each area reflects collective choices: financing retirement, protecting our health, ensuring solidarity between generations. But the social compact that results from these choices rests on a fragile foundation: demographics. We are living longer, having fewer children, leading to generational imbalances and fractured cohesion.
Our social model must evolve. However, in order to adapt it usefully, it would be good if we knew that this does not necessarily apply to everyone, starting with our political leaders. We know how to discuss our social model. Understand that, what’s more. And this is an important issue. 74% of employees look at their pay slips, but only 13% understand what they read. In other words, the most widely read monthly magazine in France is also the least understood.
In the age of longevity, poor understanding of these models means missing the key to anticipating personal situations and understanding public debates, especially regarding retirement. It also means removing the benchmarks necessary to build and secure your financial future.
Living side by side in harmony from generation to generation
The aging of our society is like climate change: we believe it will happen. Therefore, we must recognize the reality of demographic change, limit its impact, but we must also adapt. Because if we think that the balance of a society is harmonious coexistence from generation to generation, we see that this cohesion is threatened. This requires us to evolve our social models to suit our demographic realities.
The Landoy Club is a do tank which brings together the largest companies in France around the question of social issues of demographic transition. We believe that to adapt to the transformation of our social model, we must first explain it so that everyone can make it their own. It is in this spirit that we look for a simple and concrete starting point for reflection: pay slips, the most widely read monthly magazine in France, the equation of 24 million employees, and one of the least understood documents.
The solution? Providing education so that everyone can understand our model both globally and personally, so that each individual can anticipate and manage their own additional savings for retirement. Otherwise, there is a great risk that France will be divided between those who know and those who do not know and, ultimately, between those who can and those who cannot.
Understanding to act: this is undoubtedly the most useful collective will that we can formulate to strengthen social cohesion. In a world where hope seems dashed, we want to help everyone take greater ownership of their future. At the end of history, everyone must be able to take responsibility for their fate by uniting collective solidarity and individual responsibility.
