Filling new positions is becoming an increasing problem for Germany's small and medium-sized companies.
According to research by the state development bank KfW, two-thirds of these businesses plan to hire new skilled workers over the next three years. But 65 per cent fear that they will face recruitment problems, leading to delays or failures in filling those posts, according to a special analysis conducted by the KfW SME Panel.
Four years ago, only 57 per cent of hiring firms had expressed this worry.
The main reason for their concern is a shortage of skilled workers across all industries. This year, 77 per cent of affected SMEs blame their problems on shortages of applicants in the sought-after occupation - up from 57 per cent four years earlier.
Too high salary expectations or a lack of additional qualifications played much less of a role.
The shortage of skilled workers has gotten worse in all economic sectors since 2014, according to the KfW, even though more women and elderly people now work. The large demand for workers due to the good state of the economy outstrips those gains.
"That is the flip side of a pleasant labour-market boom and the SMEs' full order books," said KfW chief economist JoergZeuner.
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