In a current Civey survey commissioned by the Bertelsmann Foundation Of a sample of 7,500 business decision makers surveyed, two-thirds (66%) said they currently have a shortage of skilled workers. In tracking skilled labor migration since the end of 2020, just over half of companies surveyed (54%) expressed an expectation that they would be short-staffed this year.
Situation of shortage of skilled manpower in Germany
The shortage varies by sector, region, job description and qualifications. The shortage of skilled workers is particularly large among people who have completed vocational training: 48% of companies surveyed report a shortage here, while only 27% complain about a lack of academics.
The nursing and healthcare sectors are particularly affected by the shortage of skilled workers. Regionally, the study shows the largest gap in Bavaria, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, things look better in Berlin, Bremen and Saarland.
Human resource management strategies to solve
The study also asked about possible solutions to the skills shortage. It emerged that in particular the potential for hiring foreign skilled workers is being used less than possible. Only 16% of companies surveyed rely on hiring skilled workers from abroad. In-house training, good work-life balance models and opportunities for further training play a much more important role.
What does human resource management mean?
Staff, i.e. employees, are the greatest asset of any company. The human resources department carries out all activities that have to do directly with employees. Today, that no longer just means the monthly paycheck and initial application review. Human resource manager
- take care of the physical and mental well-being of employees,
- support them in their professional development e
- plan further development of individual departments together with managers.
The fact that the needs of employees are being taken more and more seriously is also reflected in the change in terminology. The term human resources, so popular in the past, is now used less and less. CEOs and founders understood that people are much more than a (easily consumable) resource. The term personnel management again recognizes them as human beings.
What exactly do HR managers do?
Personnel managers (of course this also includes female personnel managers and others!) are responsible for all personnel-related tasks in a company. It starts with personnel planning: which positions are open, which ones need to be filled soon (e.g. after an employee has resigned or is about to retire) and how does the company find suitable new employees? Startups and founders are more likely to search social media portals, while conservative companies tend to use traditional online and offline job postings. For difficult-to-fill positions, the HR manager may also work with headhunters. If applications are received, the personnel manager will review them and suggest suitable candidates to managers.
The majority of working time is spent looking after existing employees. Here the tasks go from onboarding from payroll and vacation request processing to organizing corporate events. Personnel managers are also involved in internal and external training. Furthermore, there are always new challenges, such as the recent corona pandemic. Here it was the HR department that took care of further hygiene measures and Air filters in company premises he had to take care of the equipment of the employees, who were suddenly working in the home office.
Why human resource management is also important for founders
As long as the founder of a new business works alone or with the founding partner, HR plays a subordinate role. But as soon as external employees are hired, the topic of personnel management becomes acute. Even if there are only two or three people at the start, you need someone who has specialist knowledge of personnel matters and employment law and who, above all, has time for the employees. Founders are often too busy with their own work and meetings. I am often at this unsuitable as a manager because they lack experience. Again and again startups do the math bad working conditions talk about themselves and thus lose valuable employees. Good HR management can prevent this.
How to become an HR manager
There are various ways to study human resource management. In addition to the classic route through university, there is also the possibility, for example, To complete distance learning in human resource management alongside work. This allows you to train an existing and eligible employee to become a personnel manager. Private universities often allow access to the degree even without a high school (technical) diploma, provided you already have professional training and at least three years of professional experience or you can present a master craftsman certificate.
It is important to know that personnel management does not (only) depend on professional qualifications. At least equally important is a good touch for other people with a lot of sensitivity and empathy. HR managers are often the liaison between employees and managers. You need to understand what motivates employees and what increases their satisfaction and therefore their loyalty to the employer. Often it's not the apparently cool gadgets of the start-up scene like table football and free fruit, but rather opportunities for further training, a laptop paid for by the company and a fair work-life balance.