{"id":439326,"date":"2026-04-20T08:45:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T06:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/?p=439326"},"modified":"2026-04-20T07:30:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T05:30:20","slug":"ni-en-emploi-ni-retraitees-femmes-50-ans-confrontees-angle-mort-professionnel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/en\/societe\/neither-employed-nor-retired-women-over-50-face-a-professional-blind-spot-439326","title":{"rendered":"Neither employed nor retired: these 50-year-old women face a professional blind spot"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In their fifties, some women find themselves in a gray area: "too young" for retirement, "too old" to be easily recruited. They suffer a double whammy: a slowdown in their career, job breaks, part-time work, combined with prejudices about age and the ability to adapt to new positions.<\/p>\n

A "dead age" rather than a hurdle to overcome<\/h2>\n

Studies by INSEE and Dares<\/a> show that women aged 50 and over are still predominantly employed, but many find themselves unemployed, before reaching retirement age, with a higher unemployment rate than men in the same age group. In France, nearly a quarter of 55-61 year olds are neither employed nor retired<\/a> , and women make up a large majority of this group, due to accumulated inequalities in the workplace (intermittent careers, part-time work, lower wages).<\/p>\n

Ageism, a barely visible form of discrimination<\/h2>\n

Women in their fifties are often victims of a combination of ageism and sexism, described as "less flexible," "less efficient," or "difficult to hire." According to several studies, nearly 70% of recruitment agencies acknowledge that age remains a disadvantage, and almost half find it difficult to recruit a woman over 45, creating a real glass ceiling for women's professional longevity.<\/p>\n

Career breaks are catching up with the 45\u201355 age group.<\/h2>\n

Career breaks, part-time work, and non-linear career paths (often linked to parenthood) take a heavy toll around age fifty, when it comes to accumulating enough quarters for a full pension. Many women therefore have to continue working past the legal retirement age, while also encountering difficulties getting back on their feet after a break, because their profile is perceived as "too expensive" or "too old" compared to younger recruits.<\/p>\n

The blind spot in management: (peri)menopause at work<\/h2>\n

At the same time, women in their 50s often go through (peri)menopause, a physiological period that can impact energy, sleep, concentration, and mood, without being recognized as a management issue. Some then choose to leave their jobs or reduce their workload due to a lack of understanding, flexibility, or accommodations, which further exacerbates their precarious situation at this stage of life.<\/p>\n

Between precariousness and media invisibility<\/h2>\n

Women in their fifties who fall victim to this situation find themselves in almost complete silence from public policy and the media, even though the phenomenon affects hundreds of thousands of people. Specialized organizations<\/a> report that many have to dip into their savings, rely on a partner, or even move back in with relatives, due to a lack of regular income.<\/p>\n

Towards taking age into account as a diversity issue<\/h2>\n

Feminist experts and groups<\/a> are calling for age to be addressed as a blind spot in management and diversity: should we continue to act as if the skills and experience of women in their fifties don't exist, even though they represent a pool of expertise, leadership, and stability within organizations? For these women, overcoming this professional blind spot will require tailored employment policies, ongoing training, adjustments related to (peri)menopause, and a genuine fight against ageism and gender stereotypes.<\/p>\n

In short, at a time when careers are lengthening, leaving women in their fifties in this professional limbo is neither socially sustainable nor economically rational. Made invisible, weakened by accumulated inequalities, and held back by persistent stereotypes, they represent a blind spot in employment and management policies. Yet, their experience, adaptability, and commitment are major assets for both businesses and society.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In their fifties, some women find themselves in a gray area: "too young" for retirement, "too old" to...","protected":false},"author":8375,"featured_media":439327,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable_msn":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5678],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-439326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-societe"],"image":{"medium":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vitaly-Gariev-_-Pexels-2-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vitaly-Gariev-_-Pexels-2-500x281.jpg",500,281,true]},"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Vitaly-Gariev-_-Pexels-2.jpg","author":{"name":"Fabienne Baure","avatar":"https:\/\/www.ma-grande-taille.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/fabienne_baure-96x96.jpg"},"categories":[{"term_id":5678,"name":"Society","slug":"societe","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":5846,"taxonomy":"category","description":"

The Society section of The Body Optimist unpacks the debates that shape women\u2019s lives: equality, discrimination, beauty standards, social ties and the place of bodies in public space. Its analysis, first-person stories and practical advice are for anyone who wants to understand the pressures of everyday life and push back, with an inclusive, body-positive and judgment-free perspective.<\/p>\n

What you\u2019ll find in the Society section<\/h2>\n