Human capital is the sum of the economically usable skills, knowledge, competencies and also the behaviour and health status of the working population of an economy. The term expresses the fact that it is first and foremost education that really enables an individual to become economically productive, just as, in the same way, cultivation is necessary for the soil to be productive. In the literature, the terms human capital and human resources are sometimes used interchangeably.
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9. September 2026 | Series "Covid-19 crisis: consequences for the labour market"
How working from home is reshaping Germany’s commuting and residential landscapes
Jun.-Prof. Sena Coskun, PhD , Professor Dr Wolfgang Dauth , Dr Hermann Gartner , Dr Michael Stops , Prof. Dr. Enzo Weber
The rise of remote working has been changing where people in Germany work and live, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. By making the daily commute in many cases unnecessary, working from home ...read more
18. August 2026 | Digital and ecological transformation
“Climate change will demand significant adjustments of the German labour market”
Prolonged heatwaves, severe storms, rising sea-levels in the North- and Baltic Seas, forest fires – these are arguably the most visible consequences of climate change in Germany. While the impact ...read more
5. August 2026 | Groups of Persons
Why confidence matters: The hidden barrier for women in STEM
Despite strong educational achievements, women in Germany remain underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers – an imbalance that fuels the gender pay gap, ...read more