Many consider high rents a key drawback of life in a big city, which prompted a third of respondents to think about a new job.

High rents in larger German cities are making it harder for companies to find qualified workers, according to a study by the auditing firm PwC.

Many consider high rents a key drawback of life in a big city, which prompted a third of respondents to think about a new job. Some have already changed jobs, the authors of the study found.

“That is why employers in cities are finding it increasingly difficult to find and retain qualified workers,” they concluded. The study also showed that employees expect significant financial assistance from employers with high housing costs.

For the purposes of the study, PwC surveyed 4,200 employees in Germany last autumn aged 18 to 65 in 12 large cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Muenchen, Essen, Leipzig and Hannover. The study is representative, the authors claim.

The vast majority of people like life in a big city because of work, shopping, education and cultural events, but almost two thirds of respondents are dissatisfied with rents,, property ownership costs and the number of apartments available for rent.

The situation on the housing market is particularly difficult in Stuttgart and Muenchen, the study showed.

Some employees express their dissatisfaction by resigning. 11 percent of them have already changed jobs because of high rents. In the 18 to 34 age group, the figure rises to 17 percent.

Willingness to change jobs is especially high in Berlin, where 19 percent of workers looked for a new job because of high rents, and 36 percent of them are considering that option. The figure is higher only in Stuttgart, where their share reached 38 percent.

Source: poslovni.hr