Particular attention is paid to the impact on labour market integration, employability and social inclusion. Our research covers advisory, support and placement processes, earnings replacement benefits and the support instruments of labour market policy, including vocational preparation schemes, publicly funded employment, continuing professional development and assistance with integration. The analyses take into account gender aspects, current social developments and labour market policy reforms, and consider benefit recipients and unemployed or employed persons as individuals while taking their respective family contexts into account.
In this context, the IAB also looks into how key players act and interact, such as job centres, benefit recipients, companies, employment agencies and the staff who work there, and the institutions tasked with providing supporting measures. The research is based on the quantitative analysis of process and survey data (field experiments and non-experimental, econometric impact analyses) and on qualitative analyses (non-standardised surveys, participant observations). While quantitative research primarily determines the impact of various instruments, qualitative research investigates the implementation of labour market policy and the mechanisms through which it takes effect.
In 2024, the IAB is specifically looking at the barriers to further education faced by various groups, and at aspects of career advice in working life, in the context of Germany’s Social Code (SGB III). Research will continue into the take-up and use of short-time working, companies’ strategies when using short-time working and the subsequent career paths of people who were previously on this pattern of working. Beyond the context of SGB III, the IAB will also shine a light on how employment agencies and job centres advise people who find it particularly difficult to access the job market.
SGB II-related research in 2024 will focus, in particular, on the effects of support measures for refugees introduced through labour market policy, including their long-term impact.
The evaluation of citizen’s benefit (Bürgergeld) will be a significant topic in the years ahead, and the related analyses will pay close attention to the relationship between job centres and job seekers and benefit recipients. Initial findings regarding the implementation of the citizen’s benefit reform are set to be presented in 2024. Research will look at which groups of persons who are able to work and are entitled to benefits are relatively frequently assisted by comprehensive support measures and the ‘professional development’ bonus. It will also investigate to what extent specific groups are disproportionately affected by cuts in benefits.
Activities
Departments
- Staff Unit Research Coordination
- Research Department Active Labour Market Policies and Integration
- Research Department Basic Income Support and Activation
- Research Department Education, Training, and Employment Over the Life Course
- Research Department Regional Research Network
- Working Group Gender Studies
- Working Group Further Training
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