Labour turnover in Germany tends to be relatively constant over time but decreases slightly in times of economic crisis, such as the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-2009 or the Covid-19 pandemic.
Labour turnover in Germany: The dynamics of worker transitions and their impact factors
German Economic Institute (IW)
Labour turnover in Germany tends to be relatively constant over time but decreases slightly in times of economic crisis, such as the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-2009 or the Covid-19 pandemic.
This is partly due to the fact that worker outflows are largely driven by employee resignations, which follow a procyclical pattern regarding the business cycle. While from the macroeco¬nomic perspective job-to-job transitions ensure an improved allocation of resources, high employee turnover is often seen as a signal for low employee retention. However, only few companies (around 9 percent in 2016) were actu¬ally concerned about the extent of their workforce turnover in the subsequent years. In fact, labour turnover and employment dynamics are regarded as strongly influenced by firm characteristics, such as its competitive pressure and a firm’s HR strategy. In contrast, the diversity of the workforce in terms of gender, age distribution and cultural background is of less importance for the dynamics of labour turnover. Regarding skilled labour shortages in con¬nection with structural changes brought about by the ecological and digital transformation, labour turnover may well gain even further importance as both a macroeconomic key figure and a KPI in corporate management.
Labour turnover in Germany: The dynamics of worker transitions and their impact factors
German Economic Institute (IW)
More on the topic
Orphaned executive chairs in German companies
In 2023, half of the companies in Germany reported increasing problems in filling vacancies for management positions because employees are not aiming for a career. Larger companies are less affected than small companies.
IW
Office work in transition: Analysis of the working conditions of office workers
Office work has changed considerably over time and reflects both technical progress and the zeitgeist of the decades.
IW