Navigating the Temp Employment labyrinth in Healthcare
Nursing professionals display extraordinary dedication and resilience. Yet, they're pushed to their limits due to staff shortages, leading them to work on their days off and juggle responsibilities. Consequently, many opt for temporary employment, lured by better shifts and pay.
Accounts compiled by the Federal Agency reveal that an astounding 43,268 nursing staffers are currently working on a temporary basis. However, this trend poses a significant financial risk for care services, as temporary staff often cost substantially more than permanent employees.
Bernd Meurer, Head of Bundesverband Gesundheitswirtschaft und Sozialdienst (BVGSW), laments the financial impact, saying, "Temporary work siphons away millions of euros from individuals reliant on care, without providing any additional care or improving its quality." Simultaneously, temporary work pressure forces permanent employees into less desirable shifts.
Larger facilities tackle this issue by drawing from internal personnel pools, sending temporary workers to other locations and offering extra compensation.
However, Meurer points out that this tactic isn't feasible for smaller facilities, exclaiming, "That's why we need a statutory price cap to control temporary staff costs."
Meanwhile, hospitals experience the financial burden of higher temporary employment expenses, as agencies aim to maximize profits. Gerald Gaß, head of the German Hospital Federation, states, "Temporary work imposes exorbitant costs on hospitals, which aren't covered by nursing budgets or refunded."
Demand for care services surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a rise in temporary and agency work. Erich Irlstorfer, a CSU MP, asserts, "Temporary and agency work are tools for peak periods but cannot serve as long-term solutions."
Improving working conditions for permanent employees and ensuring more trainees is crucial to improve their numbers. Regrettably, the number of nursing trainees has been on the decline recently.
Bavaria's Health Minister Judith Gerlach (CSU) demands reinforcement from the traffic light, suggesting "initiating a regulation to ensure more balanced treatment of permanent staff and temporary workers." Moreover, she suggests examining "whether the disproportionate remuneration of temporary employment agencies in the care sector can be capped."
Isabell Halletz, Managing Director of the employers' association for the care sector, has observed a turnaround in trends due to the mandatory collective wage agreement in force for a year. She notes that "many are returning to their jobs, and large providers have launched recruitment campaigns."
On the flip side, small providers face temporary staffing shortages, unable to take on new patients requiring long-term care. This, in turn, makes it even more challenging to secure residence in nursing homes.
Enrichment Data:
To mitigate the financial pressure of relying on temporary workers and improve working conditions, various measures are being proposed or implemented in Germany:
- Increased Minimum Wages: Germany projects a 28.2% to 33.1% increase in minimum wages for LTC workers between 2022 and 2025, dependent on education level. This rise closely parallels the general minimum wage escalation of 30.5% over the same period.[1]
- Wage Adjustments in Healthcare Sector: In 2024, healthcare workers in Denmark experienced a 5.81% increase in wages, followed by a 2.99% increase in 2025. Additionally, financial bonuses were bestowed upon nurses working irregular shifts.[1]
- Financial Support for Caregivers: Germany introduced subsidized pension contributions for time spent caring for family members outside of maternity leave and childcare. Moreover, Germany expanded the availability of respite care in 2023, offering longer durations and increased accessibility.[1]
- Family-Friendly Policies: Flexible childcare solutions can help workers reconcile balancing family responsibilities with irregular shifts. Germany can leverage the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) to co-finance family-supportive workplace adaptations in the care sector.[1]
- Investment in New Technologies: Robotics and mobility devices can alleviate the physical demands on careworkers, improving quality of care and boosting retention rates. These innovations can also reduce worker burnout and attrition rates.[1]
- Social Recognition and Training: Improving recognition of LTC workers can occur through expressions of gratitude, social status, or appropriate remuneration. Certifications, challenging gendered care norms, and training opportunities can improve work satisfaction and retention rates.[1]
By implementing these changes, care services aim to address the financial strain, improve working conditions, and retain their workforce.
[1] Enrichment Data Sources
