Retail trade in Germany: Vacancies and few applicants

No less than 50,000 jobs are unfilled at Germany’s 50 biggest retail companies. In order to help them recruit new workers more successfully, Cologne-based EHI Retail Institute surveyed the human resource situation in the sector. They found that retail companies lack experts and managers the most, in part because some of the applicants don’t have the necessary education. Another problem is that potential candidates aren’t attracted by the working hours and the average salary either.

According to Ulrike Witt, head of the research project at EHI Retail Institute, the empty positions can be filled, but the search is longer than it used to be and the workers are less skilled. Managers from retail businesses – FMCG retailers, fashion chains, furniture retailers and drugstores – answered the institute’s questions. Based on the results of the survey, they also organised a one-day event about efficient workforce recruitment for the HR managers of the companies interviewed.

The study’s conclusion is that companies using digital solutions in recruitment can speed up processes and make the employer more attractive to contestants. However, few companies are using these tools yet. Online job offers and career websites are the most popular channels for communicating vacancies. At the same time, the role of social media is becoming less important in recruitment. //