Why 2026 will be the decisive year for your GEPP

For several years, the GEPP (Job and Career Management, ex-GPEC) has sometimes been perceived as an administrative exercise, often seen as a legal obligation rather than as a real driver of transformation. However, in 2026, it will find itself at the center of the game.

Why? Because several lines of force intersect: new regulatory obligations in Europe, unprecedented technological acceleration and changes in the labor market that require companies to reinvent skills management. 2026 will therefore not be a year like the others: it will be the year in which your GEPP will become either a competitive advantage or an Achilles heel.

Unprecedented regulatory pressure

Pay transparency: Europe requires clarity

In June 2023, the European Union adopted a directive on pay transparency. Its transposition is planned. no later than June 7, 2026. In concrete terms, this means that your employees will be able to ask to know the remuneration criteria that apply to their position, that you will have to publish salary ranges in your offers and that you will be required to report on any differences between women and men.

For HR, it is impossible to meet these obligations without having a clear mapping of jobs and skill levels. The GEPP therefore becomes the indispensable basis for guaranteeing equity and explaining pay differences, with supporting evidence.

The AI Act: towards the responsible use of HR algorithms

Second upheaval: the European regulation on'Artificial intelligence, theIA Act, is gradually coming into force, with a general application planned for the August 2, 2026. This text classifies AI systems used in human resources (recruitment, evaluation, mobility) in the category of “high-risk” systems. This implies obligations of transparency, human supervision and information for employees.

In other words: if you use CV—job matching software, or an AI that helps assess performance, you must be able to demonstrate that the data used is reliable, non-discriminatory and that humans keep the last word. A GEPP equipped and managed seriously is the best way to secure your practices.

ESG reporting and CSRD

Finally, let's not forget the CSRD, which requires large companies to provide detailed extra-financial reporting. From 2026, an increasing number of companies will have to produce accurate indicators on their workforce, training practices and skills management (ESRS S1 “Workforce” standard). Again, it is impossible to produce reliable data without a solid GEPP, capable of tracking courses, training and mobility.

In other words: by 2026, your legal obligations can only be met with a robust GEPP, both as a compliance tool and as a lever for social credibility.

A labour market in recomposition

The numbers speak for themselves. According to France Travail, more than one recruitment project out of two is considered “difficult” in 2025. Dares notes a slight relaxation compared to post-Covid peaks, but some professions remain structurally in tension: industry, maintenance, energy, health and of course digital professions.

At the same time, new so-called “green” skills are exploding: heat pump technicians, experts in electric mobility, specialists in energy efficiency. Europe believes that the ecological transition could generate one million more jobs by 2030, but that half of them will require skills that do not yet exist in the majority of businesses.

The message is clear: even if the overall tension in the job market is reducing slightly, Skill mismatches are widening. Companies that have anticipated these transitions via their GEPP will be ready. The others risk multiplying impossible recruitments... and losing their current talents for lack of clear prospects.

The GEPP, a legal obligation but above all a strategic opportunity

In France, the law requires companies with more than 300 employees to negotiate regularly on the GEPP. But reducing the exercise to this legal dimension would be a mistake.

The GEPP is above all a strategic management tool which makes it possible to respond to three major challenges:

• Anticipate changes in jobs and workforce,
  
  
• Accompany employees in their development and employability,
  
  
• Align the HR strategy with the company's business and CSR ambitions.
  
  

As we approach 2026, this strategic dimension is becoming vital. Because GEPP is the only way to concretely connect your goals: regulatory compliance, operational performance and employer attractiveness.

How to successfully complete your GEPP by 2026?

So the question is no longer “should we do GEPP?” ”, but How to orchestrate it effectively within a period of less than two years. Here are the essential levers, explained in a simple way.

Building a living skills map

It all starts with a clear architecture: what are your jobs? What skills are associated with them? At what level of mastery? Without this base, it is impossible to anticipate changes or to justify pay differentials.

But this mapping should not be a frozen PDF. She must be Alive, enriched by managers, updated continuously thanks to data from training courses, projects and evaluations.

Anticipate business scenarios

A good GEPP doesn't just describe the present. It projects the future. What jobs are going to grow? Which are at risk of disappearing or changing? What are the scenarios according to your investment choices, markets or regulations?

This projection makes it possible to quantify the differences between the skills available and those that will be needed tomorrow. It is the basis for your training and mobility plans.

Develop internal mobility

La mobility is often the great forgotten by GEPPs. However, it is the most powerful tool to quickly meet needs. By offering bridges between professions, by identifying transferable skills, you transform your current employees into internal candidates for the jobs of tomorrow.

This requires clear career paths, targeted training and managerial support. But the benefits are considerable: loyalty, attractiveness and reduction in recruitment costs.

Focus on targeted and agile training

La training traditional, long and expensive, is no longer enough. The 2026 GEPP imposes more agile approaches: micro-training courses, modular certifications, VAE, accelerated reskilling. The idea is not to train “for everything”, but to quickly fill critical skills.

Integrating remuneration and transparency

The European directive reminds us: you can no longer separate skills and remuneration. A successful GEPP must integrate the logic of job architecture, with clear salary bands and explicit criteria for development. It is both a legal requirement and a driver of attractiveness.

Supervising the use of AI

Finally, tomorrow's GEPP must integrate the governance of HR AI tools. This means being able to document what tools are used, on what data, with what human control. It is a new dimension, but essential.

2026, the year of choices

Some companies will see these developments as a constraint. But the most successful will see it as an opportunity. Those who have invested in a robust GEPP will be able to:

• Recruiting less but better, by maximizing internal mobility,
  
• Attracting talent thanks to a clear policy of career and transparency,
  
• Gain the trust of regulators, employees and social partners,
  
• Transforming regulatory constraints into competitive advantages.
  
  

In 2026, the difference between the organizations that suffer and those that lead will be clear.

How can Yuzu help you

Chez Yuzu, we designed a pragmatic approach to GEPP. Our conviction is simple: it is not just another report, but a living system that connects data, journey, and strategy.

Concretely, we help our customers to:

• Building a skills mapping robust and scalable,
  
• Quickly identify the critical deviations and business scenarios,
  
• Set up internal mobility path and targeted training,
  
• Equip the HR function with simple, adapted and co-constructed solutions with teams.
  
  

Our promise: to transform your GEPP into a driver of competitiveness, attractiveness and resilience.

‍Conclusion

2026 will not be a year like any other. Between new European obligations, the transformation of professions and the growing expectations of employees, GEPP is becoming a vital tool for businesses.

So the question is not whether you should strengthen your GEPP, but How and at what speed. Businesses that act now will be able to turn these constraints into opportunities. The others are likely to suffer a double penalty: loss of attractiveness and non-conformity.

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