Press release

International student ranking: German companies rank among the most attractive employers worldwide

• 12 companies from Germany have ranked amongst the World’s Most Attractive Employers (WMAE) 2024
• German companies are associated with innovation, technology, job security and work-life balance.
• Globally, Gen Z is placing a greater emphasis on security and flexibility.

BERLIN/DÜSSELDORF, 13. September 2024 — Germany is now represented with 12 companies – adidas, Allianz, BASF, Bayer, BMW Group, Bosch, Deutsche Bank, Lidl, Mercedes-Benz Group, SAP, Siemens and Volkswagen Group – in the ranking of the world's most attractive employers (WMAE) 2024. These companies are among the top 75 in at least one of the fields that the study examined. In the global comparison, Germany ranks second behind the United States (37 companies) and ahead of France (10 companies), which all have made it into the top three worldwide.
 

Universum, a leading international employer branding consultancy and part of The Stepstone Group, surveyed 144,000 students of economics, engineering and IT in nine of the world's largest economies: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States.
In order to be included in the WMAE ranking, companies must be named in the top of at least four of the nine economies surveyed. The survey data also provides insights into the wishes and preferences of students who are about to enter the professional world and the majority of whom belong to Generation Z. There is currently a clear shift towards job security, high future income and flexible working conditions.

German companies symbolise innovation

Despite the current economic challenges faced by some companies, German employers are still popular with international talent. This speaks to their resilience and long-standing reputation as world-class employers. For example, German companies are particularly associated with characteristics such as innovation, cutting-edge technology, job security and work-life balance. German companies are considered particularly innovative by students - only American companies are associated with technological advancement more often.

‘The ranking underscores Germany's strong position as a global leader in technological advancement. And the analysis shows that by consistently focusing on innovation and employee well-being, German employers have been able to consolidate their appeal for students from some of the world's largest economies. In economically uncertain times, this is even more significant when companies prioritise employee retention and job security while fostering innovation-driven environments,’ says David Falzon, Country Manager Germany at Universum.

‘German employers are attractive to international students and thus to future skilled workers. This is excellent news for the German labour market and economy, as we are increasingly reliant on specialists from abroad due to demographic change,’ says Dr Tobias Zimmermann, labour market expert at The Stepstone Group. ‘By continuing to uphold their commitment to innovation and employee development, they can remain competitive and attractive in the international labour market – and are poised to strengthen their positions internationally.’

For more detailed insights, please refer to the full analysis available for download at: https://universumglobal.com/rankings/wmae/

About the Universum World’s Most Attractive Employers 2024

For the Universum World's Most Attractive Employers (WMAE) 2024, a total of 144,237 students in nine of the world's largest economies were surveyed between September 2023 and May 2024: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. This is the basis on which Universum compiles employer rankings for various fields of study, such as economics, engineering and IT/computer science. Among other things, the respondents provided information on the companies they would like to work for, the criteria they use to evaluate employers, their salary expectations and their long-term career goals. In each country, a list of up to 200 best employers is created. To be included in the global WMAEs, a company must be named in four of the nine countries. In addition, the company must be one of the most attractive employers in its country. 

About Universum 
Universum, part of The Stepstone Group and Axel Springer family, is the mostrecognizedemployer branding specialist in the world providing talent research and branding advisory services to customers. Their diverse workforce is physically present inover15 countries. On an annual basis, Universum workswith over 1000 universities, alumni groups, and professional organizations across 20 markets to gather insights from students and professionals.

More information: https://universumglobal.com/

Media contact

Universum Germany 

David Falzon / Country Manager Germany / Mobil: +49 172 456 44 67/ E-Mail: david.falzon@universumglobal.com

Anke Schölzel / PR Consultant Germany (external) / Mobil: +49 160 75 55 887 / E-Mail: anke.schoelzel@universumglobal.com

About The Stepstone Group 
The Stepstone Group is a leading global digital recruitment platform that connects companies with the right talent and helps people find the right job. AI-driven job marketplaces and programmatic-powered marketing solutions connect more than 130 million job applications with around 140,000 employers every year. In 2023, The Stepstone Group generated revenue of around €1 billion. The Stepstone Group operates in more than 30 countries - including Stepstone in Germany, Appcast in the USA and Totaljobs in the UK. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany and employs around 4,000 people worldwide. For more information: https://www.thestepstonegroup.com/en/

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