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Care Is a Calling – Everywhere in Europe
Professionals across all countries enter the sector out of conviction. 60% highlight direct contact with people as their main motivation, while 53.6% want to actively contribute to society.
- The Netherlands stands out, with 67% motivated by the wish to “do something good,” especially in elderly care.
- Sweden leads in valuing contact with people, with more than 64% placing this at the center of their professional choice.
- By contrast, in Belgium, salary plays a slightly stronger role than elsewhere, especially in disability care.
Everywhere, however, the message is clear: this work is value-driven – but idealism has limits when conditions do not support it.
Why So Many Consider Leaving
Almost half of Europe’s professionals indicate that stress could make them consider leaving their jobs. The underlying reasons are remarkably similar across countries: staff shortages, constant time pressure, and long hours leave many feeling overwhelmed.
In Germany, Finland, and Sweden especially, the burden of workload is pushing people to their limits.
Salary also plays a decisive role. While it is not the main reason people chose the profession, it is often the trigger for wanting to leave. In Finland, half of the respondents are dissatisfied with their pay; in Germany and Sweden, the numbers are nearly as high. Beyond money, many professionals emphasize a lack of recognition – the sense that their work is respected in words, but not in practice. And perhaps most painful of all is the lack of time for what matters most: genuine interaction with clients.
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Download our free trend study “Care and Social Affairs 2025” now – with exclusive insights from seven European countries!
What Professionals Demand: More Than Money
When asked what would really improve their daily work, professionals across Europe are clear: they need relief, not just applause. Better pay is at the top of the list, but it is closely followed by more staff, flexible schedules, and more time for care.
Country differences highlight the nuances:
- Germany shows strong demands for higher pay (56%), more staff (52.5%), and greater flexibility (33%).
- Finland emphasizes pay (65%) but also more time with clients (40%), reflecting deep strain in the system.
- Switzerland stands out with a stronger focus on digital tools (22%) and training (19%).
- Austria places emphasis on working time models (36%), possibly due to rigid structures.
Despite these variations, the message is the same everywhere: professionals want conditions that allow them to live their values and deliver real quality of care.
Digitalization: Desired, but Patchy
Across Europe, digitalization is seen as a powerful lever – but implementation is uneven. Only 18.6% of professionals work in a fully digital, mobile environment including apps. Almost half still operate in partly digital structures, and 4.8% even continue to work entirely on paper – with Germany above average here.
The demand is not abstract but practical. Professionals want:
- mobile documentation directly with clients,
- flexible shift planning via app,
- digital medication management,
- and speech recognition for faster documentation.
These are not visions of the future – they already exist, but too often they are missing from everyday practice. The result is a patchwork where enthusiasm for digital relief is high, but frustration grows when tools or training are absent.
Artificial Intelligence: A Clear Opportunity
One of the most striking findings is the openness toward artificial intelligence (AI). Across Europe, more than seven in ten professionals believe AI can make a meaningful contribution to routine tasks.The overall signal is clear: professionals are ready to use AI – provided it is transparent, safe, and genuinely useful.
We Need Change – Not Someday, but Right Now
The study makes one thing clear: Europe’s care and social professionals remain deeply committed to their work, but their motivation is at risk. They are asking for fair pay and sufficient staffing to make their jobs sustainable. They want bureaucracy reduced so that time can be spent with people rather than paperwork. They expect genuine recognition of their contribution to society, not just in words but in tangible improvements. Digital tools and even AI are welcomed, but only when they provide real relief in daily practice. And to hold it all together, organizations need modern leadership and structures that reflect today’s realities.
Across all seven countries surveyed, the voices sound strikingly similar. Europe cannot afford to wait – the conditions for sustainable and modern care must be created now.
Read the full trend study “Care and Social Affairs 2025” now – with insights from seven European countries.
