C1 · 44 words
Human resources in German
Hiring, developing and parting with staff, in the language of the HR department.
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From these 44 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
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An HR department rarely says in so many words that it is short of people. It says die Personaldecke ist dünn, and the picture does the work: the staff are a cover spread over everything that has to be done, and when that cover is thin, every gap shows. The idiom is fixed enough that its adjectives come as a small set — dünn, knapp, angespannt — and a manager explaining why a holiday cannot be approved will reach for one of them before quoting any figure. English says a team is stretched, or running on a skeleton staff; German keeps the blanket, and nobody hearing it thinks of bedding. The rest of this list shares the same habit of talking about people through the procedure that handles them: a post is nachbesetzt, staff are freigesetzt, and in the memo nobody is ever sacked.
The words
Verb (5)
abwerbento poach (staff)VerbC1
Separable and irregular: warb ab, abgeworben. The firm losing them in the dative.
nachbesetzento refill (a post)VerbC1
Separable: besetzt nach, nachbesetzt. Mostly in the passive.
befördernto promote (in a job)VerbC1
The new post takes zu and the dative. Also means to transport: Fahrgäste befördern.
hospitierento shadow (sit in and observe)VerbC1
Noun: die Hospitation. Takes bei or in.
freisetzento release (staff: a euphemism for cutting jobs)VerbC2
Separable: setzt frei, freigesetzt. Also used of energy or gases.
Noun (35)
Grammar for these: The three genders · The plural
die Personalplanungworkforce planningNounC1
No plural.
der Stellenplanestablishment plan (the list of approved posts)NounC2
Plural: die Stellenpläne. Mainly public sector.
die Vakanzvacancy (formal)NounC1
Plural: die Vakanzen. Everyday German says eine offene Stelle.
das Anforderungsprofiljob requirements (as a profile)NounC1
Plural: die Anforderungsprofile.
die Stellenausschreibungjob posting (official)NounC1
Plural: die Stellenausschreibungen. Verb: eine Stelle ausschreiben.
die Initiativbewerbungspeculative applicationNounC1
Plural: die Initiativbewerbungen.
das Auswahlverfahrenselection processNounC1
Plural: die Auswahlverfahren.
das Assessment-Centerassessment centreNounC1
Plural: die Assessment-Center. Also written Assessmentcenter.
der PersonalerHR person (colloquial)NounC1
Plural: die Personaler. Feminine: die Personalerin. The job title is Personalreferent.
die Einstellungszusagejob offer (formal confirmation)NounC1
Plural: die Einstellungszusagen.
die Einarbeitunginduction (of a new employee)NounC1
No plural. Verb: jemanden einarbeiten.
der Einstellungsstopphiring freezeNounC1
Plural: die Einstellungsstopps.
die Personaldeckestaffing (the people available)NounC1
No plural. Almost always with dünn, knapp or angespannt.
der Mitarbeitendeemployee (gender-neutral form)NounC1
Declined like an adjective: ein Mitarbeitender, eine Mitarbeitende, zwei Mitarbeitende, die Mitarbeitenden.
die Entfristungconversion to a permanent contractNounC1
Plural: die Entfristungen. Verb: entfristen.
die Personalaktepersonnel fileNounC1
Plural: die Personalakten.
die Personalentwicklungstaff developmentNounC1
No plural. Also the name of the team that does it.
das Mitarbeitergesprächappraisal meetingNounC1
Plural: die Mitarbeitergespräche.
die Zielvereinbarungagreed objectivesNounC1
Plural: die Zielvereinbarungen.
die Nachfolgeplanungsuccession planningNounC1
No plural.
die Nachwuchskraftjunior employee (with prospects)NounC1
Plural: die Nachwuchskräfte.
die Fachlaufbahnspecialist career trackNounC2
Plural: die Fachlaufbahnen. The other track is die Führungslaufbahn.
die Führungsspannespan of controlNounC2
Plural: die Führungsspannen.
die Eingruppierunggrading (placement in a pay group)NounC1
Plural: die Eingruppierungen. Verb: eingruppieren.
die Tantiemeprofit-related bonus (for directors)NounC2
Plural: die Tantiemen, which also means royalties.
das Gleitzeitkontoflexitime accountNounC1
Plural: die Gleitzeitkonten.
die Fehlzeitenabsences (time off work, as counted)NounC1
Usually plural: die Fehlzeiten.
das Dienstjubiläumwork anniversaryNounC1
Plural: die Dienstjubiläen.
die Betriebszugehörigkeitlength of serviceNounC1
No plural.
die Mitarbeiterbindungstaff retentionNounC1
No plural.
die Fluktuationstaff turnoverNounC1
No plural in this sense. Outside HR, any fluctuation.
die innere Kündigungquiet quitting (having mentally checked out)NounC1
No plural. Fixed collocations: die innere Kündigung vollziehen, in die innere Kündigung gehen.
das Austrittsgesprächexit interviewNounC1
Plural: die Austrittsgespräche.
der Personalabbaujob cutsNounC1
No plural.
die Transfergesellschafttransfer company (a temporary employer for redundant staff)NounC2
Plural: die Transfergesellschaften.
Adjective (3)
Grammar for these: Adjectives after sein · Comparative and superlative
weisungsbefugtauthorised to give instructionsAdjectiveC1
The people instructed follow gegenüber with the dative; a pronoun comes first: ihr gegenüber.
übertariflichabove the collectively agreed rateAdjectiveC1
Also before a noun: eine übertarifliche Zulage.
sozialverträglichwithout hardship for those affected (of job cuts)AdjectiveC1
Standard word in announcements of cuts; also as an adverb.
Phrase (1)
seinen Hut nehmento step downPhraseC1
Mostly of people in senior posts. The possessive changes: sie nahm ihren Hut.
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This list belongs to Work, money and business — 53 lists and 2 132 words that can also be practised as a whole.