Employees’ Business Outlook Remains Steady in Germany

Employee confidence in business conditions and employment opportunities in Germany remained stable, as the country enters its eighth consecutive year of economic growth and near-full employment levels, according to Gartner. More employees are remaining with their current organization, instead of seeking new pastures.

Nearly 45 percent of employees in Germany reported feeling confident in the country’s economic conditions, according to the most recent Global Talent Monitor report for 2Q18. Only 18 percent of employees reported low or somewhat low confidence in the job opportunities available to them. “Employees are optimistic about the German economy and their own personal prospects, even amid increasing external uncertainty and economic shocks over the last two years due to Brexit and U.S. trade actions,“ said Daniel Dirks, consulting director for the HR Practice in EMEA for Gartner.

Job seeking in Germany remains largely passive as only one-in-four workers reported actively seeking a new job. In fact, 34 percent of employees reported a high intent to stay in their current job, 2 percentage points above the global average. Moreover, only 10 percent of employees reported a low intent to stay, 2 percentage points lower than their global peers. “With nearly one-third of employees reporting a strong intent to remain in their current role, and few to no layoffs across most industries in Germany, employers are struggling to find available, skilled candidates,“ said Dirks.

Despite a workforce that appears to be loyal, German employers must continue to find ways to keep workers engaged. Given the current shortage of skilled labor, organizations should evaluate the effectiveness of their retention efforts. Employers can start by evaluating their firm’s Employee Value Proposition, that is, what the company promises to employees as the value of working there, to ensure they are offering employees what they prioritize.