Labour shortage: EU workers urgently needed

The shortage of skilled workers and labour in Germany has become even more acute. The KfW-ifo Skilled Labour Barometer recently reported that the productivity of 23.7 per cent of all German companies has been affected by this. The trend is upwards: in the temporary work sector, which is regarded as a leading indicator of the labour market, the situation is already more precarious than it was before the coronavirus pandemic.

Economists cite three reasons for the increased demand for labour.

Reason 1: According to calculations by the German Council of Economic Experts, the economy is picking up: gross domestic product is expected to stand at 3.1 per cent in 2021, and for The figure is expected to be 3.6 per cent in 2022 – and that requires a workforce.

Reason 2: The labour supply has also become considerably tighter over the past year and a half because net immigration from abroad has largely dried up. The number of foreign workers in Germany fell by 84 per cent between February 2020 and February 2021 (source: IAB) back. Without EU workers and immigration, it would have been virtually impossible for employment in Germany to grow at all between 2019 and 2020. It is no coincidence that the Skilled Workers Immigration Act was passed in 2020.

Reason 3: The labour market is facing a shortage of workers due to the low birth rates in recent decades.

None of this is new; the trend has been evident in recent years, but is now intensifying. This is all the more true given that the baby boomers (those born up to 1968) will be retiring from working life in the coming years.

GCS: Recruiting without borders

Whilst industry, government and economic research institutes are fine-tuning the right approaches, SYNERGIE is contributing with Global Cross-Sourcing already part of the solution: With over 750 branches worldwide, the SYNERGIE Group recruits workers from abroad for the German market.

Whilst German companies are desperately seeking staff, motivated candidates in other European countries do not always find employment or a long-term professional and financial future for themselves and their families.

Czech web developers, Polish Care worker for the elderly, Portuguese Electrician, Spanish mechanics, French welders – they are all qualified candidates looking for career opportunities in Germany, and thanks to SYNERGIE, they often find them.

Many companies, particularly those in the logistics sector, have recognised this opportunity. Language barriers are being overcome through multilingual operating instructions, and the employers’ liability insurance associations have also adapted to this. Safety instructions, such as those issued by the VBG, have long been available in multiple languages.

By recruiting and integrating foreign workers, SYNERGIE is making a significant contribution to the urgently needed growth in Germany.