A growing number of companies in Germany are reporting difficulties in finding skilled workers, according to the latest Ifo Business Climate survey published Thursday.
The survey indicates that 28.1 percent of firms are experiencing a shortage of qualified labor, up from 27.2 percent in April. Ifo researcher Klaus Wohlrabe noted that the skills gap has marginally increased “despite a continuing weak economic climate”. He anticipates a long-term exacerbation of the problem, citing demographic shifts as a key factor.
The shortage remains particularly acute in the service sector, where 33.7 percent of companies now report bottlenecks, a slight increase from 32.9 percent in April. Logistics companies are facing especially significant challenges, with over half (51.3 percent) struggling to recruit qualified personnel. The professional services sector – encompassing legal and tax advisory as well as auditing firms – reports the highest shortage, at 72.7 percent. This figure reflects the significant demand for assistance with increasingly complex bureaucratic requirements.
Conversely, the situation amongst IT service providers appears to be easing, with the percentage reporting shortages falling to 21.3 percent, compared to approximately 50 percent two years ago.
Within the manufacturing sector, the proportion of affected companies has risen from 17.9 to 19.3 percent, despite what is often cautious personnel planning. Notable shortages exist in the food industry (26.2 percent), manufacturers of metal products (25.3 percent) and mechanical engineering (22.5 percent). The automotive sector is an exception, with the share of companies reporting difficulties falling noticeably from 20.9 to 14.5 percent, potentially a consequence of ongoing restructuring efforts.
The retail sector also continues to face recruitment issues, with around one in four companies reporting problems filling qualified positions (retail: 25.3 percent, wholesale: 23.3 percent).
Finally, the construction industry is reporting a worsening shortage, climbing from 27.3 to 28.3 percent of firms affected.
