Dekra published the report “Labour Market 2019”, in which it analysed the working conditions and expectations of employers, among others, towards truck drivers.
Dekra, Germany’s largest automotive and industrial audit and inspection company, has recently published its fourth labour market report. Experts conducted a 360 analysis for truck drivers. It turns out that carriers are willing to employ even inexperienced drivers and turn a blind eye to candidates who do not meet all the criteria.
Safety first
“The profession has changed, and so has the requirements of employers for candidates,” the report on the labour market from 2019 reads. “Employers pay particular attention to responsible and safety-conscious drivers with team spirit and a certain understanding of logistics processes.” Until 10 years ago such a criterion was very rare in job advertisements (3.2%), but now it is the basis. In terms of practical skills, the most desirable are drivers who are experienced in loading, unloading and securing cargo (52.9%) and able to perform simple maintenance on the vehicle (16%).
In addition, employers also expect future employees to be reliable and accurate (52% of job offers). The ability to work in a team has also gained in importance in recent years – 25.7% of employers required this skill in 2019, compared to only 16% in 2016.
Benefits for drivers
In Germany, as in other EU countries, it is increasingly difficult to fill vacancies in the transport sector, which, according to Dekra experts, is beneficial for truckers. According to the latest edition of the report, drivers can now count on more attractive working conditions than 6 years ago. Seven out of ten job offers contain references to pay or special benefits. This year, one in five carriers are rewarding their employees for their qualifications and good performance. Six years ago, only 3% of them decided to do so. Additional benefits, such as holiday and Christmas bonuses, are offered to employees by 15.1% of companies.