Germany faces public sector 'creeping blackout' by 2030
According to the Association of Cities and Municipalities, the shortage of personnel could threaten public administration with a "creeping blackout." By 2030, approximately 230,000 workers will be lacking, writes Deutsche Welle.
"The shortage of personnel will have a huge impact on the work of the public sector, especially municipalities, and could push services provided in the public interest to the brink of collapse," said Andre Berghegger, Director General of the German Association of Cities and Municipalities, as quoted by DW.
He added that more than 100,000 positions in municipal administration in Germany are currently unfilled. The main reason is a lack of adequate personnel. "In the next ten years, almost 500,000 of the approximately 1.65 million employees working in municipalities will retire," he emphasized. He calculated that this will result in a shortage of 230,000 workers by 2030.
It's not just about officials. In the next five years, 50,000 bus drivers are expected to retire. According to Berghegger, there is already a shortage of more than 100,000 qualified childcare and kindergarten workers. "Without swift and decisive remedial measures, serious consequences for citizens and Germany as a business location are to be expected. Berghegger spoke of a creeping blackout," writes DW.
According to Berghegger, the solution includes implementing flexible working time solutions and reorganizing tasks to make employment in the public sector more attractive. Part of the solution is also seen in artificial intelligence, and he criticized Germany's reservations concerning digitization. "If digitization continues to be implemented at a snail's pace in Germany, we will consciously squander our chances for the future," he warned.
