Stability Trumps Pay: Job Security Now the Top Criterion for Workers Worldwide as Germany Tightens HR Rules
Veröffentlicht: 25.06.2026 um 08:56 Uhr, Redaktion boerse-global.de
For the first time in years, job stability has pushed salary off the top spot in employees' priorities. According to the 2026 Randstad Employer Brand Research, 58 percent of roughly 160,000 respondents across the globe said workplace security is the most important factor when choosing an employer. That figure bumps pay down to fourth place. In Germany, where more than 4,300 people were surveyed, the runners-up behind security are a pleasant work atmosphere and a healthy work-life balance.
Companies are scrambling to respond. Many are rolling out structured employee reviews and transparent evaluation systems, often backed by specialized HR software. Dashboards from providers such as DataLion now link soft indicators like engagement with hard metrics like turnover. The goal is to give management clear data for decisions during a period of rapid change.
That change includes a wave of new technology and regulation touching nearly every part of human resources. On June 23, the Zurich-based firm job.rocks announced an upgrade to its workforce?management platform: dispatchers can now issue operational instructions using natural-language voice commands. The tool aims to cut manual coordination effort, especially in sectors such as hospitality and healthcare. A human retains final control.
Another vendor, AQIIDO HR, promotes AI?driven matching as a replacement for traditional keyword filters, targeting small and medium?sized enterprises that want to streamline recruitment. Yet the same technology raises fears. At the industry conference “ICR Recruiting Trends Mittelstand” on June 24, a central topic was the growing flood of AI?generated job applications, which threaten to drown recruiters in irrelevant data.
Under the EU AI Act, AI tools used in hiring are classified as high?risk applications. That means companies must ensure a human makes the ultimate decision and carry out a data?protection impact assessment before deploying them.
Regulation is tightening elsewhere too. Starting September 27, 2026, the German Act Against Unfair Competition (UWG) will impose stricter rules on employer seals and sustainability labels. Such seals must be based on independent, transparent certification systems. Violations can result in fines of up to 4 percent of annual turnover.
At the same time, cross?border administration is moving toward common digital standards. On June 23, EU member states reached a preliminary agreement on a uniform electronic notification system for posted workers. A standardized online form is expected to simplify the process for roughly 3.6 million postings each year.
Back in Germany, the digital personnel file is becoming the norm. Consultancies like ActivateHR point to gains in efficiency and data security. The picture is more complex for payroll: the new Pay Transparency Directive forces companies to open up about compensation. Experts at ADP advise switching from Excel to specialized systems, and suggest using AI to flag anomalies early.
Even the medical sector is affected. On June 23, the national health?IT agency Gematik published the “TI?Score,” which rates 48 practice?management systems on their technical handling of electronic prescriptions and the electronic patient record.
All these developments—from AI in recruiting to digital payroll and stricter certification rules—are unfolding against a workforce that prizes stability above all else. Employers that fail to deliver both security and transparency risk falling behind in the race for talent.
