Searching for High-Paid, Stable Jobs: A Comparative Analysis of Britain and France

This article examines firms’ provision of high paid, stable jobs using linked employer-employee data from Britain and France. Such jobs are more prevalent in France but share common features in both countries: they are concentrated in larger, older workplaces with higher proportions of middle-aged, qualified, and male employees, and are supported by HR practices promoting skill development, internal mobility, and employee voice. These consistent characteristics suggest a distinct employment model. However, cross-country differences in prevalence and specificity highlight the influence of national institutions in shaping these employment practices.