German employees: Less than half give their best at work

According to a survey by the consulting firm EY, many German employees lack motivation for their job: only 48% stated that they give their best at work. However, there were clear differences depending on the age of the respondents. In the age group over 50 – often referred to as baby boomers – almost two thirds (63 percent) were particularly motivated. In the GenZ, the younger employees under 29, only 43 percent said the same.

In an international comparison, German respondents are slightly below the average of 54 percent. However, it is significantly lower in other countries: for employees in France (37%), the Netherlands (36%) and Japan (19%), the rate of those who are particularly motivated is significantly lower. For India (67%), China (59%) and the USA (57%), the survey revealed better figures. According to Ey, more than 17,000 people worldwide were questioned for the survey, 1,000 of them in Germany.

Less than half would recommend employers

The lack of enthusiasm is apparently also reflected in employers: only four out of ten respondents (44%) would recommend their current employer to someone they know. In a global comparison, the figure is 50 percent. Likewise, 42 percent in Germany would consider changing jobs – Men (45 percent) more often than women (41 percent). Only in India (50 percent) and France (43 percent) is this figure higher.

When it comes to reasons for changing jobs, working from home is right at the top with 50 percent. Better career opportunities, more flexibility and the behavior or quality of managers (49% each) also played a major role. Salary increases were cited as a reason by 47 percent. Around a fifth of German respondents (21%) could work entirely from home, and a further third at least mostly (36%).

A permanent condition in the workforce?

“Germany has always been able to score points in the international competition between locations with its excellently trained and highly motivated workforce, which has ensured high productivity,” commented on EY Partner Nelson Taapken on the results. “If people in countries such as India and China – are now doing their work with more motivation than employees in this country, in some cases under significantly worse conditions – this should give us as a society, but above all employers, pause for thought,” he explained.

According to Taapken, it is understandable that people are not equally motivated and willing to push themselves to their limits every day. It becomes problematic when unmotivated work becomes a permanent condition in the workforce. Companies could work on factors that promote this – such as poor leadership, a bad corporate culture and a lack of communication or stress due to too much work –.

(axk)