At the beginning of the fourth quarter, skills shortages were hampering operations at 26% of businesses. Skilled labour shortages have thus eased further as a result of the weak economic performance. The drop is most significant in industry, which has recorded the steepest declines in sales. Here, 17% of businesses still reported continuing disruption from skills shortages. In the services sector, 30% of companies currently deplore a lack of workers, also slightly fewer than in the previous quarter.

KfW-ifo Skilled Labour Barometer October 2025(PDF, 209 KB, accessible)

Press release