The situation on the labor market is sad, but not hopeless. The solution is closer than we think and does not require a new state intervention. The Chancellor and his Finance Minister Lindner can sit back and relax today.
The bleak conclusion first:
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Overall, the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research in Nuremberg estimates that there is a shortage of around 1.74 million workers in Germany (as of the first quarter of 2022) – more than ever before. After the pandemic, many have not returned to their old job or to a new one. In the USA, where the problem is also known, one speaks of “big quit”.
Before we talk about the hopeful, we must first state what does not work: insults and punishment.
Helmut Kohl spoke of “Germany’s amusement park”, Guido Westerwelle of “late Roman decadence” and Gerhard Schröder imposed fines and state bans on those who were not willing to work as part of his Agenda 2010 reform. None of this helped either the cause or the three. Kohl and the CDU were reviled, and Westerwelle and Schröder were finally voted out.
Since you and I are convinced that the history of mankind is a story of progress, we should rethink the labor market beyond Kohl. Factory and office, airport and large kitchen, kindergarten and nursing home are not the continuation of the Wilhelmine military state with other means.
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Thinking in terms of the carrot and the stick, of discipline and order, has reduced itself to absurdity. Performance and suffering, quality and agony are synonyms of a bygone era. The late Roman decadence of thought was invalidated by a new, enlightened generation.
The employee as a subject, as a hard worker, as a dependent employee of a lackey society. We should say goodbye to this mental figure of the worker as a kind of talking livestock.
Which brings us to Linda Weritz. The woman is an animal psychologist, horse trainer and author. She is dedicated to horsemanship, i.e. the loving relationship between man and horse. For them, the farm animal is not a farm animal, but a friend and partner. She formulated the most important rules for dealing with each other as follows:
1. Stay factual
2. No penalties
3. Self-education
4. Fairness
5. Avoid monotony
6. Abstaining from corporal or verbal punishment
7. Being warm and approachable
Do you notice and feel it? Perhaps in the future we should assume that our employees are no more stupid, no less sensitive and want to be motivated at least as much as a horse. The comparison with the horse initially sounds like a provocation – and if Linda Weritz’s teachings were implemented, it would be a real revolution.
Escaping the labor market and leaving certain professions is not just about money. It’s about respect. It’s not just about working hours. It’s about happiness in life.
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People don’t want to be insulted, punished, spurred on. They want to be praised, encouraged, and inspired. And in the case of mistakes and mistakes, they are no less docile than horses.
Conclusion: After the minimum wage, we should now demand a minimum willingness to learn – from those who offer work. From the employers. From the head of the company. From the department head. The corresponding chapter in Linda Weritz appeals to the enlightened and thus versatile people. It bears the bold headline:
Gabor Steingart is one of the best-known journalists in the country. He publishes the newsletter The Pioneer Briefing. The podcast of the same name is Germany’s leading daily podcast for politics and business. Since May 2020, Steingart has been working with his editorial staff on the ship “The Pioneer One”. Before founding Media Pioneer, Steingart was, among other things, Chairman of the Management Board of the Handelsblatt Media Group. You can subscribe to his free newsletter here.
