ifo Institute: Metal Industry Tops the List for Short-Time Work in Germany
The industries with the largest proportion of short-time workers in Germany are metal, mechanical engineering, hospitality, vehicle construction and suppliers, as well as electrical equipment and electronics. This is the finding of exclusive calculations and estimates by the ifo Institute based on its Business Survey for September. “The figures decreased across all these industries in September, but they are still quite clearly above the average for all employees subject to social insurance, which is currently at about 11 percent,” says ifo labor market expert Sebastian Link.
In September, 31 percent of employees in the metal industry were on short-time work, as were 29 percent in mechanical engineering, 26 percent in hospitality, 24 percent in vehicle construction, and 23 percent in the electrical and electronics industry.
These are followed by companies in the textile and clothing industry, manufacturers of leather, wood, and paper, and printing houses with 20 percent, administrative and support service activities with 18 percent, the furniture industry with 15 percent, and wholesale with 13 percent. The share of short-time work in the refined petroleum and chemical industry and among pharmaceutical companies as well as manufacturers of rubber, plastic, and glass is 12 percent; in transportation and storage, it is 11 percent.
Industries making below-average use of short-time work include car dealerships and repair shops with 10 percent, information and communication service providers with 8 percent, retail with 7 percent, construction with 6 percent, food and beverages with 5 percent, financial and insurance activities with 2 percent, and real estate activities also with 2 percent.
