Skills shortage in Europe

Title: “When Work Stalls: Desperately Seeking Skilled Workers (SPIEGEL TV for ARTE Re:)”

Transcript: “1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 [Music] To combat the skilled labor shortage, a family business sets itself apart from the competition through creativity. Videos on TikTok are used to attract new employees. The old way of thinking, ‘I post a job and 100 people will apply,’ is over. Where am I now? Center? You’re always in the middle, and we do [Music] [Music] I have no plan what to do. Yes, and then Rainer Grill, the PR spokesman of the fan manufacturer Ziel abeg, produces new videos daily for the company’s social media channels. If we dance here in production, people who would never deal with fans, who would never know the company name, and who don’t know that we are located in North Württemberg, Hohenlohe, will see the video. Sure, it looks like making a fool of oneself, but this video allows us to approach people and say, ‘Hello, here’s a company called… we have a cool production, we are nice colleagues.’ That allows us from video, and it’s just totally brilliant. Employee Rebecca directs, Reiner’s daughter Sophie supports the team as an actress. ‘If we count the day, it’s much easier for him because he dances in his free time, so he just needs the day when to make which movement, clap at the end, it’s one, two, three, and then it works. And if not, we keep trying until it does. On the platform, the 55-year-old appears as TikTok Reiner. Many users think he is the boss of the company where daughter Sophie works as a personnel officer and Rebecca develops digital trainings. I messed up. We have, on TikTok, in the two and a half years we’ve been doing it, reached well over 70 million views and have around 100,000 followers. What resonates with TikTok users, the team had to learn. Videos with company logos don’t perform well, bizarre ideas are in demand [Music] [Music] That the videos are sometimes silly is part of the strategy. Fans, the company’s main product, are rather unattractive for the colorful TikTok world. Rainer could also convince board member Sascha Klett. I have to be careful, if I said the products are boring, but they are products no one knows, they are installed. If we show products that no one perceives in real life, who would watch the videos? Our customers, our suppliers, our competitors, our own employees, who do I want to reach? People who don’t know us, people outside our industry. The optimizers of today don’t need to know about fans, if we win them over through TikTok, then we have won. And we can’t do that by explaining fans. As head of public relations, Rainer Grill must always keep up to date with current developments in the company in order to fill the channel with appropriate videos. Optician and fans, we are producing them here, you will be producing a pole in America, so in the USA, will we produce it in the future? Yes, okay, so we are automating, but it’s not enough, we still need more people. And of course, board member Sascha Klett knows how valuable TikTok Reiner’s videos are for the company. The order books of the fan manufacturer are fuller than ever, but at the same time, it is not easy to recruit qualified employees. It is a daily struggle to cover the need for skilled workers, and it would be presumptuous to say, ‘Yes, we’ll just manage.’ I wouldn’t want to put it that way. As I said, it is a constant effort and endeavor, and we are very committed not only to getting our employees but also to keeping them. How Rainer Grill makes the world market leader known was initially controversial in the company. They laughed at it, even used terms like ’embarrassing,’ but the success proved us right. TikTok works and resonates with the target group. Just because you’re a Swabian family business doesn’t mean you can’t be cool. An electrician from Brazil. In April 2022, he moved to Germany for a job. In Brazil, I already had some professional experience. I went through different positions, sometimes changed companies to get a better position, but it’s also a question of security. Here we can play outside in the fresh air and take trips with our daughter. I want her to grow up a little freer, a little more relaxed, without having to constantly watch over her [Music] The employer has specialized in renewable energies. In this industry, too, skilled workers are scarce. Therefore, the company participates in a pilot project of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which mediates skilled workers from Brazil, India, and Vietnam to Germany. Philipp was also recruited in this way. Today it’s about commissioning the decilator in the company and retrofitting the card terminal for EC card, credit card, and the chips for the employees. And then we can see who fits in there, sign up because I and Tobi will drive there, and then we have to see how we do it with the commissioning on site. All right [Applause] [Music] One of the biggest hurdles in Philipp’s new everyday life is the language. His knowledge is not yet sufficient to drive to customers alone. For quite a while, colleagues will have to accompany him. The Germans are all very friendly, very understanding. Of course, I have a language deficit, I don’t speak fluently, but haven’t reached a good level yet. I only know the basics and sometimes express myself quite clumsily, but we get along. Here, laid out for the loader to pass over. His colleague Tobias Krohn is happy about the additional strength, fits in well. I can’t complain. I have fun with him every day. Even if something is not entirely clear, over hands and feet, when you help yourself out, it also becomes funny in between [Music] He studied electrical engineering and worked in a leading position in Brazil. Nevertheless, he encounters an obstacle in Germany. The foreigner’s office still has to decide whether it’s wanted, and then it’s good, and then they have to apply. Of course, we don’t do that. We go other ways, social media, or such campaigns with the IHK, projects. We try to lure out everything that is available on the market. It’s demanding, but it’s vital for our survival. Without the skilled workers, we can’t screw any more fuses into the wall, hang up any more lamps, install any more PV systems. Then our existence is at stake [Music] The truth is that young people today have higher demands. They are faster and more easily disappointed. We have experienced many people here who work for two or three weeks and then prefer to look for a new job or sign up for unemployment and receive unemployment money. This affects not only us here at mefkal but all sectors. And of course, we notice what is going on in Europe. We see that it is a general problem [Music] In d as deficient

1. To tackle the skilled labor shortage, a family-owned ventilator manufacturing company uses creative strategies like posting videos on TikTok to attract new employees. This approach marks a shift from traditional hiring methods, where job postings would typically attract numerous applicants.
2. The company’s Press Spokesperson, Rainer Grill, produces daily social media content showcasing employees dancing in the production area, intending to engage people who wouldn’t usually be interested in their products or industry. This unconventional method helps to promote the company’s positive work environment and team spirit.
3. The success of their TikTok presence is significant, with over 70 million views and 100,000 followers. The company had to learn what content resonates with the audience, discovering that quirky ideas work better than corporate branding.
4. The company faces challenges in attracting skilled labor, a problem exacerbated by the technical nature of their main product, ventilators. Their efforts on social media and other recruitment strategies are essential for survival in a competitive job market, highlighting the need for innovation in attracting talent.
5. The documentary also touches on wider industry issues, like the global shortage of skilled workers and the efforts of companies in different sectors, including renewable energy, to attract talent from abroad. It emphasizes the importance of adapting to modern recruitment methods and the changing expectations of the workforce.

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