10.8 % increase in employment. 3.74 billion spent on research & development. The biotechnology sector in Germany is growing continuously according to this sector report. The Survey of Biotechnology Companies 2024/2025 also looks positive and even speaks of a trend reversal. Biotechnology is now even set to be expanded as a driver of innovation in Germany.
And as in other sectors, the shortage of skilled workers is a major damper. This is because the fields of activity in biotechnology vary between the interface between research and pharmaceuticals for drug production (red biotechnology), industrial processes and production techniques (white biotechnology), agriculture and animal husbandry (green biotechnology) and the increasingly important environmental biotechnology (gray biotechnology). Other areas with additional biotechnology colors show how diverse this industry is.
While the health and medicine sector is the most pronounced, the individual areas overlap. What all areas have in common is that they have a high degree of innovative strength and require highly qualified specialists, who are currently in demand everywhere in Germany.
Shortage of skilled workers in biotechnology and cluster formation
The independent biotechnology organization BIO Deutschland e.V. also diagnosed a major shortage of skilled workers in the above-mentioned survey of members in 2022 and is therefore calling for training and immigration of skilled workers for the future.
Globally based companies, large multinational corporations can cope with the shortage of skilled workers much better with “global recruiting”, for example, than SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), which are also well represented in the pharmaceutical industry.
The formation of biotechnology clusters poses a further challenge for the industry, as sites are also located in rural regions. Rural areas are particularly interesting for green biotechnology. However, red biotechnology also forms clusters away from large cities. This has an impact on recruitment as young, qualified workers tend to migrate to urban centers.
Large cities therefore appear to have an advantage in terms of attractiveness. This ranges from short commutes to work to the existing infrastructure and cultural offerings. Social contacts may also be easier to maintain.
On the other hand, large cities face increasing challenges. First and foremost the lack of living space and rising rents, as PwC describes. Exposure to heat, particulate matter and noise is not only a challenge for families. A more rural region is attractive for female workers, as Haufe cites a study conducted by the Ludwigsburg University of Business and Society in 2022. According to the study, 60% of the female Young Professionals surveyed could imagine living in a small or medium-sized town. Overall, 44% of respondents said that rural regions were more attractive than metropolitan areas (26%).
Recruitment strategies for rural areas
The quality of life in rural areas is therefore high and could even improve. When recruiting personnel, this can be communicated as an advantage when advertising jobs. Job advertisements should be placed on many channels and characterize the company precisely. Social media, active sourcing and mobile recruiting can be used to increase the reach of recruiting channels .
Successful employer branding helps to communicate the corporate culture both externally and internally to the existing workforce and thus present the company as an attractive employer. The company's image can be made visible on the company website, on social networks or in internal communications and supplemented with videos of employees and their day-to-day work. An HR consultancy can provide detailed assistance on the topic of employer branding and has a wealth of experience.
Benefits should also be offered and highlighted. In rural areas in particular, relocation allowances and employee housing are very attractive. In addition, social interactions can be expanded by the company, which may be more difficult to find in rural areas. Offers to get together such as company events, parties and joint leisure or sports activities will not only motivate new employees, but also long-term employees.
However, the stronger the loyalty of the existing workforce, especially in SMEs, the greater the likelihood of a successful induction.
Increasing the attractiveness of a company also includes support programs or further training. This can be particularly interesting for career changers. After all, the biotechnology sector naturally competes with the pharmaceutical industry or medical technology. A change of sector is therefore also possible in biotechnology. Ultimately, a career is also possible on non-linear paths and across industries and should be communicated to applicants. A recruitment consultancy can also provide support and help to identify and approach potential candidates.
Biberach University offers “WissenPLUS” (Knowledge plus) continuing education programs to counteract the shortage of skilled workers. This clearly demonstrates the extent to which science is linked to practice in this sector. Cooperation with universities is an opportunity for every company to attract skilled workers with a wide range of training and backgrounds for employment, even in rural regions. Cooperation with universities is therefore useful and can be supported by the company's presence at trade fairs.
A study by the Competence Center for Securing Skilled Workers on the skilled worker situations in rural areas shows that there is a lack of experts in rural regions compared to urban areas. The authors recommend introducing young people to possible career prospects in schools in the regions in order to attract them as long-term employees.
Apart from this, the study shows that foreign workers are increasingly represented in rural regions, while the number of German nationals is decreasing. In order to integrate them as well as possible, the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs proposes measures for successful onboarding. Some of these measures apply to all new employees, including personal support from contact persons, development meetings and help with finding accommodation. Bureaucratic and language support is particularly important for foreign skilled workers. It can therefore make sense for a company to maintain a public and internal profile in English. In any case, German courses should be offered.
The longer commutes to work can also be a burden in rural areas. Company shuttles can be introduced for this purpose. However, it could also motivate companies to consider a 4-day week. The option of remote work should also be expanded as far as possible. Of course, this requires a sufficient digital infrastructure. In fact, there are projects that aim to counteract the rural exodus by using new technologies. "Rural areas can use AI" is the headline of the Fraunhofer Institute, which presents various applications. And laboratories can also become digital and therefore more autonomous with the help of artificial intelligence.
At the same time, rural areas have large biomass resources, which is interesting for green biotechnology and a bioeconomy. In Bavaria, rural areas are being promoted for this very reason. In cooperation with local authorities, universities and existing clusters, a good infrastructure can be created for a company in rural areas, which will then also attract skilled workers.
Conclusion
The biotechnology sector is growing continuously in Germany and is seen as a driver of innovation and is being expanded. As it is located in clusters, particular attention is being paid to rural areas, which are particularly affected by the shortage of skilled workers. The so-called rural exodus often leaves rural areas lacking infrastructure such as medical care. Public transport connections are also difficult.
A number of strategies are helpful in attracting highly qualified specialists here. These include successful employer branding, transparent job advertisements that emphasize the quality of life in rural regions and the presentation of benefits. Further training measures and cooperation with universities also increase the attractiveness for skilled workers from outside the sector. Smaller companies should also engage in “global recruiting” and become open to foreign specialists. Start-up assistance such as German courses and support with formalities and finding accommodation can increase attractiveness. It is worth engaging an internationally networked personnel consultancy for global recruiting.
Support programs and the expansion of infrastructure are increasingly being offered in parallel by politicians and companies can thus find an attractive location in rural regions. In combination with innovative strength, regional value creation and a high quality of life, rural regions can thus become an alternative to urban centers.
An HR consultancy can provide valuable support to the company in the development of employer branding, job advertisements, recruitment and onboarding interviews.
As a specialized HR consultancy, Sinceritas offers strategic support for companys in the healthcare sector and the life science industry. The support contains the development of a strong employer branding and the development of an attractive benefit concept that fit in with the corporate concept. We also help with the formulation of job advertisements so that the company is presented in the best possible way on many platforms. These measures not only arouse the interest of applicants, but also strengthen employee loyalty.
Furthermore, candidates can be approached directly with active sourcing. Finally, our consultants’ many years of expertise can also support in conducting interviews, hiring and onboarding.
