Shortage of Skilled Workers Eases Somewhat in Germany

Slightly fewer German companies are reporting a shortage of skilled workers at the beginning of the year, according to the latest ifo Institute survey. In January, 43.6 percent of companies said they were affected by the shortage of skilled workers, down from 45.7 percent in October 2022. “Companies still have major concerns about finding suitable skilled workers,” says ifo expert Stefan Sauer. The all-time high of 49.7 percent was reached in July 2022.

Many service providers continue to be the most affected. In legal and accounting services, the figure was 75.2 percent. Slightly more than half of warehousing and storage companies, transport businesses, and architectural and engineering services complained of a shortage of skilled workers. In these industries, the shortage has actually become even more acute.

In manufacturing, fewer companies are affected by a shortage of skilled workers; 16.4 percent of companies in the chemical industry reported a shortage, down from 19.6 percent in October. In basic metals manufacturing, the figure was 23.6 percent, down from 45.2 percent. By contrast, manufacturers of data processing equipment were feeling the effects more than ever, at 59.5 percent.