Better Organisation of Occupational Pensions: What Else Can Germany Learn From the International Context?

The organisation of occupational pension schemes in Germany is a topic worthy of further investigation, as there is an opportunity to benefit from the experience of other countries and increase the prevalence of such schemes. For instance, how might the participation and commitment of employees in company pension schemes in Germany be enhanced through the examination of international models? It is crucial to investigate how the occupational pension scheme diverges from those of other leading countries. These questions can serve as a foundation for a more comprehensive inquiry into how Germany could enhance its occupational pension scheme in light of international experience. The extant literature primarily addresses occupational pension schemes at the national level. It is evident from an analysis of the existing literature that occupational pension provision is becoming an increasingly significant aspect of the German pension landscape. This is due to the fact that an increasing number of employees view occupational pension provision as an important supplement to the statutory pension. Consequently, there has been a notable increase in the willingness to take out a pension, with figures more than doubling over the past three years. Despite an increase in willingness to take out occupational pension plans, Germany is significantly behind other countries in terms of penetration rates. An analysis of existing literature has revealed a lack of research on international occupational pension systems, highlighting the need for a comparative analysis of these systems with the German system. This paper compares selected occupational pension systems with the German occupational pension system. The sample consists of 10 selected countries. In the methodological part of the study, the differences between the international occupational pension systems are first analysed by means of a qualitative content analysis of the existing literature. In the quantitative part of the research, the differences are then evaluated using Kruskal-Wallis analysis with the statistical programme DATAtab. The results show the differences between successful occupational pension systems and are intended to offer a possible approach for the reform of the German occupational pension system.