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Stromberg sends his regards: Find out why a lack of leadership skills is now hindering productivity for 78% of respondents.
When it comes to terrible bosses, one name stands out: Bernd Stromberg. The (anti)hero of Capitol Insurance is the personification of incompetence and selfishness. But how much of “Stromberg” will actually be present in everyday German office life in 2026?
According to a new Gallup survey, only 16% of employees were completely satisfied with their bosses.
Experts often see the cause in the fact that many bosses are excellent technical experts, but lack genuine leadership skills. Out of fear of development discussions and interpersonal challenges, leadership is often neglected. The result: 78% of those surveyed only do the bare minimum.
This lack of commitment is not merely a matter of sentiment, but a massive drag on productivity. Gallup estimates that the German economy has recently lost around €113 billion due to the “inner resignation” of employees. This corresponds to more than 2% of total economic output.
We were also interested in the following topics:
Skills shortage at record low: According to current Ifo data, fewer companies are complaining about a shortage of skilled workers than at any time in the last five years. However, this decline is primarily due to the weak economy: instead of recruiting, the focus is on job cuts and caution when hiring new staff.
Salary check Brussels: A recent analysis of over 1,850 job advertisements shows what you can really earn in Brussels. The median salary across all roles is €3,402 per month, with the highest-paying jobs in the legal, policy & advocacy, and administration sectors.
Hope for career starters: While many tech companies are cutting staff, IBM is once again opening its doors to career starters and plans to triple the number of new hires this year. The entry-level jobs are expected to differ significantly from past positions and will be in areas that require interaction with customers.
This text first appeared as an editorial in the weekly politjobs newsletter. If you would like to receive this newsletter with the latest jobs in politics directly by email every Wednesday, you can subscribe to it here.