Insufficient wage growth despite labour shortages and double-digit growth rates in turnover and employees – DGUF Monitoring report private-sector archaeology 2021

Abstract

Private-sector archaeology in Germany is booming: In 2021, excavation company turnovers grew by an average of 21 % in relation to 2020, and turnovers per employee by 14 %. The additional recruitment of employees planned in 2020 for 2021 actually took place (+10.5 %), for 2022 a further increase in personnel of 14 % is planned by archaeology entrepreneurs. Looking back at older studies, there are also indications of wage growth, but the extent of this is neither associated with turnover growth nor does it meet the strong demand for labour. In the end, too few responses were received from the self-employed persons, consultants and service providers in 2021 to be able to make reliable statements - but here, too, there has been significant growth compared to 2020.