Germany non-wage costs index, manufacturing
Germany non-wage costs index, manufacturing stood at 125.64 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 C - Manufacturing | 125.64 | 122.09 | 123.32 | 123.07 | 122.21 | 119.77 | 119.02 | 119.77 | 118.75 | 120.59 |
Understanding germany non-wage costs index, manufacturing
Employer expenditures beyond direct gross wages for industrial production operations define the boundaries of this metric. It isolates the secondary financial obligations incurred by factory operators, stripping out actual hourly pay to focus entirely on overheads like statutory social security contributions, sick pay, and vocational training expenses within Section C. By zeroing in on manufacturing, the measure deliberately filters out wider production elements like mining and construction, remaining wholly distinct from the service economy. Consequently, it offers a concentrated view of indirect staffing burdens carried by the core industrial base.
Analysts evaluating these quarterly index figures should rely on year-on-year comparisons to neutralise seasonal volatility inherent in industrial shift patterns and the uneven distribution of employer-funded benefits. Period-on-period assessments often yield distorted signals due to annual resets in social security ceilings or sudden shifts in short-time work compensation schedules. Furthermore, initial releases are routinely subject to revisions as late-arriving administrative records from industrial enterprises are incorporated into the dataset. When comparing this metric against overall labour costs, observers must account for periodic rebasing exercises that recalibrate the weight of manufacturing, meaning structural shifts can occasionally generate statistical breaks in the long-term narrative.
Frequently asked questions
- Why might the manufacturing non-wage costs index diverge from the gross wage index?
- Direct hourly wages frequently react to negotiated union settlements, whereas this specific index captures the trajectory of statutory social insurance rates and mandated sick leave. This structural difference causes non-wage elements to move independently of the headline pay rate.
- Are performance incentives captured under these non-wage figures?
- No, standard performance bonuses and regular special payments are classified as gross wages. This non-wage metric is strictly reserved for indirect employer liabilities such as pension contributions, health insurance, and workplace training overheads.
- How do short-time work arrangements influence this specific metric?
- While state-subsidised short-time work reduces direct wage payouts, employers often still bear certain social security obligations for the unworked hours. Consequently, these periods can artificially inflate the non-wage cost index relative to the actual hours performed on the production line.