Wave of layoffs hitting German industry

A new report on layoffs in Germany shows that job cuts are becoming more common and often come as a surprise to employees. The HR WORKS study, based on a survey of more than 6,000 workers, found that over one-quarter of dismissed employees received no warning, performance review, or prior signal before losing their job. Many dismissal meetings are brief and formal, and 47% of laid-off workers receive no severance pay.

Economic and organizational reasons remain the most common explanation, while AI is becoming a growing factor, cited by around 8% of respondents in 2025. Nearly 5 million German employees are estimated to have been laid off in the past five years, with most cases occurring in 2024–25.