Economic pressure is becoming a leading factor in German companies' decisions, including in hiring and work organization. This is shown by a study by Randstad and the „Ifo“ among 469 human resources managers, conducted in the third quarter of 2026.
44% of the companies surveyed identified economic pressure as a leading topic in the past 12 months. Against this background, 26% plan to increase the use of fixed-term employment contracts. A year earlier, the share of these companies was 12%.
More and more companies are looking for flexibility
Currently, 30% of the companies in the study use fixed-term contracts. This approach is most common in industry, where the share reaches 42%. In trade, it is 22%, and in services - 24%.
The difference is even more visible according to the size of the companies. Fixed-term contracts are used by 59% of large enterprises, while in small companies the share is about one fifth.
Companies plan to use other tools to adapt to variable workloads. 33% intend to rely more often on cumulative working hours, 21% - on overtime, and 15% - on outsourcing.
Industry reports restructuring
The strongest pressure on employee-management relations is reported in industry. 17% of companies in the sector indicate that restructuring and layoffs have determined the working environment. The share is more than twice as high as in trade.
The data shows a shift in the way German companies manage risk. Instead of making long-term commitments to new employees, some of them prefer contracts that can expire without a dismissal procedure. This shifts most of the uncertainty onto employees.
The pressure is not limited to the labor market. In a separate study by the „Ifo“ institute in September, research director Klaus Wohlrabe said:
„Bureaucracy has a double effect: it takes away employees who are needed elsewhere and it hinders investment because the costs of approvals and documentation make projects unprofitable.“According to the results of the study by Randstad and „Ifo“ Economic uncertainty is now affecting not only growth plans but also the day-to-day organization of work. The consequences are most noticeable in industry, where restructuring and layoffs are combined with a wider use of temporary employment.