The Top 200 employers in Berlin

Berlin, 16 July 2024 – Contrary to the general economic trend, the top 200 Berlin employers recorded a growth in staff numbers of 2.2%. In comparison, the increase in the previous year was 1.8%. In cooperation with Berlin Partner, the Berliner Morgenpost has published the ranking “The Top 200 - the largest employers in Berlin” - under the title “Strong pillars for growth and innovation”. The evaluation also contains other useful information and contributions about Berlin as a business location.

The 200 largest employers in Berlin’s economy are led by DeutscheBahnwith 26,806 employees (+6.6%). Thereafter  comes Charitéwith 23,479 employees (+8.9 %) andtheVivantes-NetzwerkfürGesundheitwith 19,208 employees (+6.2 %). Thus, the mobility and health sectors remain at the forefront. The digital economy, on the other hand, which has always been considered a “driving force for jobs,” cut 3.6% of jobs. From an expert’s point of view, the service industry and in particular the IT sector were able to provide interesting impulses. But the companies in the building management sector assigned to the service providers also impressed with growth. The number of jobs increased by 5.1 %. Looking at the strongest percentage growth, the focus is particularly on Vonovia(+ 33.8 %), Dm-Drogeriemarkt  (+21.5%) and  SpielbankBerlinGustavJaenecke (+20%).

The employment growth of the top 200 in the Berlin urban area can be classified as generally noteworthy. This rose by 3.2 %, while it fell by 2.3 % in the surrounding area. Experts attribute this to losses in sectors such as construction and logistics, which are more susceptible to economic cycles. The general industry analysis shows: In particular, the three major car manufacturers represented in the capital, Mercedes-Benz (+5.3% in the city area and +3.8% in the region), Volkswagen (+7.2% in the city area and +6.6% in the region) and BMW (+7.4% in the region) significantly increased their employment figures. In total, 86 of Berlin’s 200 top employers followed this example to varying degrees and increased their workforce. In contrast, 49 companies cut jobs. For the current year, 47 employers plan to hire additional employees.

Nevertheless, Berlin is still an attractive location with promising prospects for many entrepreneurs. The city is considered a start-up hotspot and an important hub for pioneering innovations. At the same time, international talents are attracted by the combination of diversity, dynamism, development potential and quality of life. If politics and business succeed in making the city more attractive for investment in the future, experts agree: Working in Berlin is worth it.

Dr. Stefan Franzke, Managing Director of Berlin Partner: “There are sectors that Berlin, we in business development and also politicians, have focussed on and which continue to grow particularly strongly. These include healthcare, the energy sector and the mobility sector, which is also experiencing a slight renaissance in the industrial sector. (...) Crises always offer two possibilities: One can react with depression when it is clear that old business models no longer work – or one can react constructively. Then crises can be seen as opportunities. And that’s exactly what Berlin is able to do, with all the people and talents that live here."