Personnel Adjustments during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Did Co-Determination Make a Difference?

Arbeitspapier

Using a unique dataset of establishments in Germany surveyed during the Covid-19 pandemic, this study investigates whether personnel adjustments during the crisis differed between establishments with and without a works council. Our regression analyses show that the hiring and dismissal rate as well as the churning rate were lower in establishments with a works council. In contrast, the net employment growth rate over the pandemic and the implementation of short-time work did not differ significantly between establishments with and without a works council. We conclude that worker co-determination did indeed make a difference in terms of higher employment stability for the incumbent workforce during the pandemic.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 14873

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence ; Labor Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs ; Personnel Economics: Firm Employment Decisions; Promotions
• Subject: personnel adjustments ; co-determination ; works councils ; COVID-19 ; pandemic

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Fackler, Daniel ; Schnabel, Claus ; Stegmaier, Jens
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2021

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/250534
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:44 AM CET