Elobau: Leutkirch’s Largest Employer Faces Short-Term Work Challenges

Elobau is currently Leutkirch’s largest employer Short-term work is scheduled for at least some of the workers. A look at the area shows: That’s it the parent company not alone. According to figures from the Federal Employment Agency, dozens of companies in the Ravensburg area have recently decided to take this step.

The Lake Constance-Upper Swabia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) sees a particular risk that short-term work could increase in the region, as explained by its spokesman Moritz Schwier when asked by the editorial team.

The reason: Even if the region’s economy has been in decline for several months now, it is expected that, due to the lack of skilled workers, companies will use short-time work before a real downturn. make job cuts.

The numbers on short-term work in the area

First, the numbers: The data currently available from the Federal Employment Agency is from April and reflects the status in March. Accordingly, about 30 companies here in the Ravensburg area (numbers are usually rounded to multiples of ten, editor’s note) reported short-term work, affecting 560 employees.

In February, 300 employees at 30 companies were also affected. As explained by Eva Schmidt, spokesperson for the Konstanz employment agency responsible for the region, these are the new advertisements for each month.

In the same month last year, ie March 2023, short-term work was newly reported for 260 workers in around ten companies. The agency always publishes the statistics for short-term work implemented after a six-month delay.

In February and March 60 companies

In March 2023, 760 employees in around 40 companies were affected. For comparison: In February and March 2024 alone, the measure was recorded for around 60 companies in total.

When asked for a current assessment of the issue of short-term work, IHK spokesperson Schwier explains: “The economic situation has worsened in recent months. Companies are suffering from high costs (energy, labor costs), and at the same time domestic demand is weakening, which is reducing sales and employment.”

“The companies are taking back their investment plans and now also their employment plans.” At the same time, says Schwier, the companies do not want to lose their employees, “especially with the lack of skilled workers, who are also present in them during difficult economic times.”

Looking forward to further development

With a view to further developments on the subject of short work, Schwier says that the IHK has no knowledge of the specific reasons that prompted companies to take this step.

“This can have a wide range of triggers, from individual reasons that only affect the individual company, to disrupted supply chains, low demand, (also) high energy and raw material prices , to the current difficult economic situation.”

Prediction is difficult

Therefore, predictions for the future are difficult. It is not possible to reliably determine how the recession, which the region’s economy has been suffering for several months now, will have a specific effect on the issue of short-term work.

Since the lack of skilled workers is still one of the biggest threats to the business development of companies, it can be expected that “companies will give preference to the short-term work model before serious job cuts are made.” “

Against this background, Sönke Voss, General Manager of the IHK Bodensee-Oberschwaben, calls politicians into action: “The regional economy is suffering greatly from the very high energy prices in -currently in addition to a bureaucracy that is seen more and more as paralysis. If politicians are serious about supporting the economy, a wide range of relief must be provided now.”

Less bureaucracy is needed

This includes, among other things, a rapid and needs-based expansion of renewable energy and electricity networks as well as a reduction in electricity tax to the lowest level in Europe for all companies.

There is also a significant reduction in bureaucracy, “which ties up a lot of resources in companies that are more urgently needed elsewhere.” “