Overview

• Strategy& and Appinio polled 1,000 German employees aged 18 to 65 in January to assess job selection priorities.
• Job security emerged as the top criterion for 43% of respondents, followed by competitive salary at 42%.
• Work-life balance ranked third overall at 41%, with 45% of 18-24-year-olds prioritizing it versus 33% of those aged 55-65.
• Company perks and the meaningfulness of work ranked as least important for many, with 29% and 28% of participants respectively listing them as lowest priorities.
• The findings suggest employers should refocus on core compensation and stability to align with shifting employee expectations.