Germany non-wage costs index, construction
Germany non-wage costs index, construction stood at 136.88 in Q2 2026, according to Deutsche Bundesbank. It is one of the indicators in the Labour cost index table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 1996 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Labour cost index table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mining and quarrying, manufacturing and service activities (B-S) | 130.71 | 127.43 | 128.05 | 127.97 | 126.74 | 125.21 | 121.55 | 123.02 | 122.53 | 122.76 | |
| Production sector including construction (B -F) | 127.33 | 123.97 | 124.79 | 124.56 | 123.54 | 121.34 | 120.2 | 121.01 | 120.09 | 121.21 | |
| Section F - Construction | 136.88 | 133.93 | 133.45 | 132.81 | 131.28 | 129.75 | 126.16 | 126.58 | 125.57 | 124.14 |
Understanding germany non-wage costs index, construction
Statutory and negotiated employer overheads within the building trades are captured by this Section F metric, mapping the indirect outlays required to maintain construction site crews. By severing civil engineering and contracting sectors from broader industrial production, this series isolates a workforce defined by project-based contracts, high physical risks, and specific bad-weather compensation schemes. The calculations incorporate mandatory payments into specialized holiday funds and vocational training levies unique to the building industry, setting its cost structure far apart from standard factory or indoor service environments.
Volatility heavily influences the quarter-on-quarter profile of this indicator because winter weather dictates whether sites operate or shut down, making year-on-year analysis the only reliable method for assessing genuine cost pressures. When freezing conditions trigger industry-specific layoff provisions, the sudden plunge in hours worked creates extreme mathematical fluctuations in the hourly non-wage cost reading. Heavy reliance on subcontracted and posted cross-border workers means that initial administrative data is highly prone to revision. Long-term rebasing exercises periodically smooth out these seasonal shocks, meaning older historical vintages may not perfectly align with the current index curve.
Frequently asked questions
- How do winter weather funds influence this metric?
- Employer contributions to sector-specific winter compensation schemes act as a structural non-wage cost unique to this building index.
- Are the costs of physical materials factored into the index?
- No, the series strictly measures the indirect financial burdens associated with employing human labour, entirely independent of building supplies.
- Does the use of independent contractors skew the data?
- The index covers direct employees on payroll; self-employed contractors and their associated costs fall entirely outside the scope of this measure.