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The German Labour Market: Preparing for the Future

Author

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  • Felix Hüfner

    (OECD)

  • Caroline Klein

    (OECD)

Abstract

The strength of the German labour market response to the financial crisis of 2008-09 demonstrated the benefits of past labour market reforms, which raised work incentives, improved job matching and increased working hour flexibility. Going forward, the government should build on this success and address the remaining challenges which include raising the labour participation of females and older workers (which among other things will necessitate adjustments to the tax and education system) and fostering migration, notably of skilled workers. The significant ageing-related decline in the labour force exemplifies the urgency of further structural reforms in this area. This Working Paper relates to the 2012 Economic Survey of Germany, www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/germany. Le marché du travail en Allemagne : préparer l´avenir La résilience dont a fait preuve le marché du travail allemand face à la crise financière de 2008-09 témoigne du bien-fondé des réformes passées, qui ont permis d’améliorer les incitations au travail, de garantir une meilleure adéquation entre offres et demandes d’emploi et de renforcer la flexibilité du temps de travail. Les pouvoirs publics allemands doivent s’appuyer sur ce succès pour relever les défis qui subsistent, à savoir augmenter le taux d’activité des femmes et des seniors (ce qui impliquera notamment des ajustements sur le plan de la fiscalité et du système éducatif) et encourager l’immigration, surtout des travailleurs qualifiés. La contraction importante de la main-d’oeuvre sous l’effet du vieillissement de la population témoigne de l’urgence de nouvelles réformes structurelles dans ce domaine. Ce document de travail se rapporte à l’Étude économique de l’OCDE sur l’Allemagne 2012, www.oecd.org/eco/etudes/allemagne.

Suggested Citation

  • Felix Hüfner & Caroline Klein, 2012. "The German Labour Market: Preparing for the Future," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 983, OECD Publishing.
    • Handle: RePEc:oec:ecoaaa:983-en
    DOI: 10.1787/5k92sn01tzzv-en
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    Cited by:

    1. Fackler, Daniel & Hank, Eva, 2016. "Who buffers income losses after job displacement? The role of alternative income sources, the family, and the state," IWH Discussion Papers 28/2016, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    2. Ruoff, Bea., 2016. "Labour market developments in Germany : tales of decency and stability," ILO Working Papers 994899913402676, International Labour Organization.
    3. Fackler, Daniel & Stegmaier, Jens & Weigt, Eva, 2019. "Does extended unemployment benefit duration ameliorate the negative employment effects of job loss?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 123-138.
    4. Ruoff, Bea, 2016. "Labour market developments in Germany: Tales of decency and stability," GLU Working Papers 39, Global Labour University (GLU).
    5. Daniel Fackler & Eva Hank, 2016. "Who Buffers Income Losses after Job Displacement? The Role of Alternative Income Sources, the Family, and the State," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 863, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    6. Hank, Eva & Fackler, Daniel, 2017. "Who buffers income losses after job displacement? The role of alternative income sources, the family, and the state," VfS Annual Conference 2017 (Vienna): Alternative Structures for Money and Banking 168098, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Allemagne; besoins de main d’oeuvre; chômage; emploi des femmes; female employment; Germany; labour force participation rates; labour shortages; migration; migration; older workers; taux d’activité; travailleurs âgés; unemployment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs

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