Germany has been named as the top work destination in Europe for global professionals, according to a study by BCG, The Network, and The Stepstone Group.
The Decoding Global Talent 2024 study, which featured survey data from more than 150,000 respondents in 188 countries, named Australia as the overall dream work destination, ahead of the USA, Canada and the UK.
Germany was the highest-ranked European country in the list, as well as the highest ranked non-English speaking country.
Other European countries to feature in the top ten included Switzerland (7th), France (9th) and Spain (10th), Japan and Singapore also featured, in sixth and eighth respectively.
Global labour shortage
“The world’s most important economies are facing a major challenge: the great people shortage. This looming gap in the global labour market is primarily due to declining birth rates and mismatches between job supply and demand,” commented The Stepstone Group CEO Sebastian Dettmers.
“Labour migration represents a prime opportunity to bridge this gap. We must adapt our job markets to be more versatile, enabling workers to move to where they are most needed and where they can find the best positions for their skills and aspirations.”
In terms of whether workers would be willing to relocate for a job, the survey found that close to two thirds (64%) of workers in the Middle East and Africa are actively willing to relocate, as are 58% of respondents in South Asia, and 52% in sub-Saharan Africa.
At the other end of the scale, however, much smaller percentages are seen in Europe (10%) and North America (8%).
“People don’t associate countries with certain generally attributed advantages and choose them on that basis,” added Sacha Knorr, co-managing director at The Network.
“Instead, they opt for the destination region that most closely matches their own personal criteria for their future job choice. Companies should take advantage of this, as they can score points here with job offers that match talents’ expectations.”
The study follows on from similar studies undertaken in 2014, 2018 and 2021.
Read more: Seven percent of Dutch young people have ‘never had a job’
Moving abroad for work remains a dream for many people, with Australia the favorite country destination and London the top city of choice.
— Boston Consulting Group (@BCG) April 25, 2024
To find out where the country or city you work ranked, read our latest study on global mobility trends: https://t.co/KVhw9vueIW pic.twitter.com/aSLSjLu73v
