German SMEs lacking skilled labour, incl construction
German SMEs lacking skilled labour, incl construction stood at 22% in Q2 2026, according to Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Eurostat and KfW Research / ifo Institute. It is one of the indicators in the Job vacancies and skilled labour shortage table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q3 2018 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Job vacancies and skilled labour shortage table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany including construction | 21.1 | 22.7 | 25.8 | 28.1 | 27.2 | 28.3 | 31.9 | 33.8 | 34.9 | 36.3 | |
| SMEs, Germany including construction | 22 | 23.3 | 26.1 | 28.6 | 27.9 | 28.4 | 32.1 | 34.4 | 34.2 | 35.9 | |
| Large enterprises, Germany including construction | 19.3 | 21.4 | 25.1 | 27.2 | 25.9 | 28.2 | 31.5 | 32.7 | 36.3 | 37 |
Understanding german SMEs lacking skilled labour, incl construction
Operational constraints within small and medium-sized German enterprises arising from a deficit of qualified personnel define the focus of this business sentiment indicator. Derived from the KfW-ifo Skilled Labour Barometer, the series tracks the proportion of surveyed small and medium firms reporting that shortages of qualified workers actively restrict their regular production or service provision. Coverage includes small and medium establishments across manufacturing, commerce, services, and construction throughout the country. While the overarching national row combines all enterprise sizes and an adjacent row isolates large corporations, this series specifically evaluates the medium and smaller business segment, which often operates without dedicated human resource departments.
Evaluating skilled labour constraints among smaller enterprises requires attention to seasonal operational cycles, particularly because craft trades and construction businesses form a substantial share of the medium-sized economy. Year-on-year comparisons between identical quarters provide an honest assessment of structural staffing pressures by removing seasonal weather impacts on outdoor operations. Period-on-period comparisons between consecutive quarters can misinterpret winter reductions in construction activity as an easing of labour bottlenecks. One should distinguish this qualitative operational obstacle indicator from job vacancy rates and registered unemployment counts. A high share indicates that existing staffing deficits are actively restraining capacity, rather than measuring the absolute number of vacancies. Survey figures are final upon publication.
Frequently asked questions
- How are small and medium-sized enterprises defined in this barometer?
- The indicator covers medium and smaller business establishments across all major branches, distinguishing them from large corporate enterprises.
- Does this indicator measure the total number of unfilled jobs in smaller firms?
- It measures the percentage of surveyed smaller firms that report their operations are hindered by a scarcity of qualified workers, not the headcount of vacancies.
- Why are year-on-year comparisons recommended when analysing staffing bottlenecks in smaller firms?
- Annual comparisons between matching quarters eliminate seasonal weather effects in construction and trade that routinely alter business activity between quarters.