How to Increase the Attractiveness of the Public Health Service in Germany as a Prospective Employer? Part II of the OeGD-Studisurvey

Laura Arnold (), Lisa Kellermann, Florian Fischer, Franziska Hommes, Laura Jung, Amir Mohsenpour and Jan M. Stratil
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Laura Arnold: Academy of Public Health Services, Kanzlerstraße 4, 40472 Duesseldorf, Germany
Lisa Kellermann: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Florian Fischer: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Franziska Hommes: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Laura Jung: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Amir Mohsenpour: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Jan M. Stratil: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-47

Abstract: The Public Health Service (PHS) in Germany has had difficulties in recruiting enough qualified staff for years, but there is limited research on what factors drive decisions to (not) join the PHS workforce. We explored reasons for this perceived (lack of) attractiveness. We conducted two cross-sectional surveys among medical students (MS), public health students and students from other PHS-relevant fields (PH&ONM) in Germany before (2019/2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021). Both waves surveyed self-reported reasons for why students did (not) consider working in the PHS as attractive and how this could be improved, using open-question items. Qualitative and quantitative content analyses were conducted according to Mayring. In total, 948 MS and 445 PH&ONM provided valid written responses. Reasons for considering the PHS as attractive were, among others, the perception of a good work-life balance, high impact, population health focus, and generally interesting occupations. Suggestions to increase attractiveness included reducing bureaucracy, modernization/digitalization, and more acknowledgement of non-medical professionals. Among MS, reasons against were too little clinical/patient-related activities, low salary, and occupations regarded as boring. Our findings indicate areas for improvement for image, working conditions in, and institutional structures of the PHS in Germany to increase its attractiveness as an employer among young professionals.

Keywords: public health workforce; public health services; health services administration; Germany; capacity building; job satisfaction; workforce research; workforce development; survey research methods; OeGD-Studisurvey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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