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A turnaround in the workplace? According to a new Gallup study, Germans are happier and less stressed than they were last year. Yet despite the improved mood, skepticism toward the job market is growing
German workers are more satisfied again.
This is one of the findings of the latest Gallup “State of the Global Workspace 2026” study. While only 45% of workers were satisfied overall last year, this figure rose to 48% in 2026. At the same time, stress levels also fell, from 41% to 38%. But are these really signs of an improved situation for workers? That is debatable. After all, the difficult labor market situation itself is reflected in the survey: only 67% view the labor market situation as positive. This is a significant decline from 72% the previous year.
Overall, Germany ranks in the European midfield at 20th place in the survey, up from 21st the previous year. At the top are familiar countries—Finland leads with 81% satisfaction, followed by Iceland and Denmark, each at 78%.
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This text first appeared as an editorial in the weekly politjobs newsletter. If you’d like to receive this newsletter with the latest jobs in the political sector directly by email every Wednesday, you can subscribe here.