High Turnover Rates Plague Delivery Service Jobs in Germany

According to a recent study, employees working in online delivery services in Germany tend to leave their positions within a year due to poor pay and unfavorable working conditions. The research, conducted by the German Institute for Employment Research (IAB), reveals that turnover rates in this sector are significantly higher compared to other types of temporary labor.

The IAB surveyed 2,370 workers from eleven app-based delivery services and a control group of 1,017 temporary laborers, examining their reasons for entering and exiting their jobs. Findings indicate that the majority of delivery jobs are short-lived, with 59% of employees voluntarily resigning, a stark contrast to just 19% among other temporary workers.

Among the delivery staff, 44% cited low wages, while 41% pointed to uncomfortable working conditions as primary reasons for their resignation. In contrast, only 10% and 20% of the temporary laborers reported similar grievances regarding pay and conditions, respectively.

The study also highlighted that a high-performance pressure is prevalent in online delivery services, often leading to premature exits. Martin Friedrich, the study's lead researcher, noted that the performance of delivery workers can be monitored in real time through smartphones, which increases the stress experienced by employees. This results in a higher rate of resignations due to health-related absences or dissatisfaction with their work performance.

Conversely, temporary laborers often leave their positions due to restructuring within companies or a decrease in job availability, rather than personal dissatisfaction. The findings underscore the need for improved working conditions and pay structures within the online delivery sector to reduce turnover and retain staff.