Corporate culture more important than money, study for Altana shows

The battle for the most talented employees is a demanding task for German industry. Forty four percent of managers said their greatest challenge was attracting specialists with the right technical and scientific background, ranking alongside globalised competition (46%). This is the result of the ‘Industry Innovation Index’ – a multi-sector study carried out by the research institute Forsa on behalf of Altana. The survey covered 250 top-level decision-makers and 250 entry-level employees at German industrial companies. But how can firms win over the best candidates?

This takes more than a generous salary, as shown by the survey. An above-average income is the deciding factor for only 28% of talented young industrial specialists when choosing an employer.

The list of relevant criteria for selecting an employer is headed by a co-operative working atmosphere (‘very important’ for 87%), room for creativity (66%) and attractive promotion prospects (56%). The upcoming specialists also see success, image and the future viability of the company as more important than financial considerations (47, 34 and 34% respectively).