Allianz survey finds company pension top employee benefit in Germany

A recent Allianz survey of 1,073 employees and a parallel poll of 162 German firms ranked the company pension (Betriebsrente) as the most desired extra benefit. The study shows a sharp gap in coverage: 86 % of large enterprises provide a Betriebsrente, while only about 25 % of businesses with fewer than ten staff do so. Among lower‑paid workers earning up to €2,500 a month, only roughly one‑third have access to a company pension, according to the federal pension commission.

The second‑most popular benefit cited by respondents is the option to work from a home office. The third‑place benefit differs between groups: managers favour health‑management programmes such as fitness checks, whereas employees prefer a company health insurance scheme. The commission’s reform proposals call for a “social‑partner dialogue” this year to develop concrete steps for expanding pension coverage.

These findings highlight the growing importance of retirement security in employer branding and recruiting, especially as demographic ageing and income inequality raise concerns about future pension adequacy.