The service sector in Hauts-de-France
Our region is a heavy hitter in the services sector, with a high concentration of specialists in customer relations, service outsourcing, banking, insurance and digital services. Result: a robust ecosystem that produces targeted know-how and skills with genuine added value for your business. Find out why Majorel, Booking.com, IBM, Altimance, L’Olivier Assurance and other top companies chose Hauts-de-France as the place to grow.
The service sector in Hauts-de-France
Our region is a heavy hitter in the services sector, with a high concentration of specialists in customer relations, service outsourcing, banking, insurance and digital services. Result: a robust ecosystem that produces targeted know-how and skills with genuine added value for your business. Find out why Majorel, Booking.com, IBM, Altimance, L’Olivier Assurance and other top companies chose Hauts-de-France as the place to grow.
Fertile ground for finding new customers
When you’re scouting a new location for your business, the customer catchment area is the first thing you analyze. Hauts-de-France offers an unparalleled location within easy distance of leading European decision-making centers.
Your customers are already here
Our region boasts a concentration of customers like no other. When you locate here, you gain a major advantage for generating leads.
Major customers in Hauts-de-France
Leading companies are headquartered here, and the region is home to tightly-knit, industry-specific ecosystems with a high concentration of players and the capacity to create value and jobs. And because Hauts-de-France is home to so many industries, you’ll find exceptional potential for B2B lead generation here as well. We excel across a range of areas, and that’s a powerful asset for growing your business.
Easy access to customers in Paris and Northern Europe
Our location gives you a huge competitive advantage: a tightly woven business community like no other.
Within a 300-km radius of Lille you can:
- quickly reach five major decision-making centers: Paris, London, Brussels, Luxembourg and Amsterdam.
- set up your business close to current and future clients
- penetrate a one-of-a-kind market with €1,500 billion in disposable income
Boost your recruitment capacity
Fast facts
#2 region for education in France: Hauts-de-France is a young, densely populated region with major urban centers.
- 6 million inhabitants
- 33% of the population is under 25
- 2nd-highest population density in France
- #1 for continuing education in French
The people you need
Some 57,000 people are available right now to work in the Hauts-de-France service sector1. When you locate here, you avoid the frustrations of a tight labor market—and that’s a big advantage. In fact, it’s so easy to recruit in Hauts-de-France that our market is the envy of many European regions.
1Source: French National Job Centre 2019.
Qualified international talent
Thanks to our location—close to the border and in the heart of international trade—it’s easy to recruit multilingual employees here. Our population includes:
- 25,000 foreign students
- over 200,000 residents from outside France
Higher employee engagement
In Lille, average turnover for back-office operations is just 10%—a clear sign of the employee loyalty you need to save on recruitment and training costs.
Source: EY/NFI – 2016
Teleworking in Lille
The global Covid-19 panic has had an undeniable impact on work habits and work spaces. Bottom line: the trend towards teleworking has accelerated significantly.
According to the French Labor Ministry, by the end of March 2020, one in four employees in France was teleworking—and that’s an advantage for Hauts-de-France.
Thanks to its quality of life, its connection to major European cities and its abundant coworking space, Lille is rated France’s best city for teleworking.
Top French cities for teleworking
| #1 | #2 | #3 |
| Lille | Bordeaux | Lyon |
Source: France Attractive rankings for the French news magazine Le Point
Competitive payroll costs
For many businesses, controlling labor costs is essential to success. Did you know that Hauts-de-France offers highly competitive salaries?
According to a 2016 study of back office positions by EY, the region’s costs are:
- 6% lower than those of its leading European competitors
- 15% lower than those of its leading French competitors
Want to compare us with other European cities? Check out our payroll cost-comparison tool.
Annual salary for a back-office manager – EY/NFI, 2020
| City | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| BEAUVAIS | 63.379 € |
| ARRAS | 64.298 € |
| LILLE | 73.789 € |
| NANTES | 74.249 € |
| LYON | 82.056 € |
| AMSTERDAM | 89.323 € |
| PARIS LA DEFENSE | 91.854 € |
| BRUSSELS | 100.362 € |
| LONDON CANARY WHARF | 102.818 € |
| DUSSELDORF | 110.003 € |
Source: EY study, 2020
Annual salary for a back-office supervisor – EY/NFI, 2020
| City | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| ARRAS | 45.927 € |
| BEAUVAIS | 51.591 € |
| NANTES | 51.898 € |
| LILLE | 53.753 € |
| LYON | 59.705 € |
| PARIS | 61.236 € |
| BRUSSELS | 72.569 € |
| AMSTERDAM | 74.436 € |
| DUSSELDORF | 79.617 € |
| LONDON | 82.809 € |
Source: EY study, 2020
Annual salary for a qualified employee – EY/NFI, 2020
| City | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| ARRAS | 28.576 € |
| NANTES | 30.256 € |
| BEAUVAIS | 31.307 € |
| LILLE | 31.518 € |
| LYON | 38.034 € |
| PARIS | 40.767 € |
| BRUSSELS | 43.233 € |
| AMSTERDAM | 49.624 € |
| DUSSELDORF | 49.628 € |
| LONDON | 53.465 € |
Source: EY study, 2020
Specializing in customer relations recruitment
Hauts-de-France is France’s #1 region for customer relations—a natural legacy of our pioneering role in distance selling. We offer a selection of specialized partners that can help you find the talent you’re looking for.
Need help recruiting?
The perfect real estate solution for your service business
With our competitive real estate prices and close ties to the Paris Region and Northwestern Europe, Hauts-de-France is the location of choice for your service operation.
Lille is the #3 market for office space in France. According to BNP Paribas Real Estate, the city set a new record in H1 2019:
- over 145,000 sq m rented in the Lille office market, up 38% from H1 2018
- future (one year) availability of 275,000 sq m (incl 38% new space)
Other cities in the region are extremely attractive as well, including Arras, Valenciennes, Beauvais and Saint-Quentin. With so many opportunities, you’ll easily find the space you need to grow your business in Hauts-de-France.
Source: EY/NFI – 2020
Keep real-estate costs under control
When you’re scouting a new location for your business, it’s critical to consider real-estate prices in your target regions. Choose Hauts-de-France to keep your costs under control.
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