Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen District Office: New measures to combat the shortage of skilled workers!

Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen District Office: New measures to combat the shortage of skilled workers!

Skilled workers for the future – that is the goal of the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district office. The district authority is faced with major challenges when it comes to finding suitable employees. In order to appear as an attractive employer, the district office is planning various monetary incentives to attract potential employees. As sueddeutsche.de reports, the district committee decided last year to introduce an above-tariff labor market allowance for certain professional groups. These are IT specialists, civil engineers and social service employees.

The need for such measures is further underlined by the current situation on the labor market. There is a shortage of around 300,000 skilled workers in Germany, and by 2040, 8.7 million more people are expected to leave the labor market than join it. Demographic developments are exacerbating the trend towards an employee market. According to vsma.de, 71% of companies in mechanical and plant engineering are struggling with a shortage of skilled workers, while only 12% of students show interest in technical careers.

Focus on health and additional benefits

An important aspect of the district office's new strategy is the introduction of company health insurance for collectively agreed employees. This health insurance is intended to promote a family-friendly and healthy working environment. Jürgen Huber, human resources manager at the district office, emphasizes the importance of the new incentive system, which could benefit all 400 collectively agreed employees. A budget of 320,000 euros for performance-related compensation is available for 2023, which can be used with measures to improve workplace attractiveness, promote health and sustainability. Company health insurance is estimated to have an annual cost of 216,000 euros, as sueddeutsche.de states.

In order to remain competitive, employers are increasingly required to offer additional benefits. According to the Ifo Institute survey, 82% of employees value benefits. This can include mobility-promoting grants, flexible working time models or even retirement provision. For 57% of employees, a company pension plan is the most attractive additional benefit, shows the analysis on vsma.de.

The way into the future

The district committee approved the introduction of the measures, although no health check is required for employees and their families. The district office plans to advertise this company health insurance on the exchange in order to find the best possible provider.

The development towards attractive working conditions is also crucial in view of the uncertainties on the labor market. A strategic approach that takes into account the needs of both employers and employees can help meet the challenges of the skills shortage. Only with a good plan and a fair incentive system can you attract the best minds and keep them in the team in the long term.

The situation is clear: something is going on! The effects of demographic changes should not be underestimated. Taking these trends into account, the situation on the labor market could worsen significantly. Employers who take action now have a clear advantage, according to experts who keep an eye on current developments, as can be found on statistics.arbeitsagentur.de.