Top HR Companies in Germany
Worth over €20b and employing tens of thousands of professionals, Germany’s HR industry is a vital part of Europe’s economy. From established global players like SAP to family-run staffing firms such as Hofmann Personal and Piening, HR companies in Germany are navigating a landscape defined by innovation, regulation, and workforce change.
Demand for HR solutions continues to rise as employers adapt to skills shortages, hybrid work, and complex compliance requirements. At the same time, automation, AI, and cloud technologies are reshaping how organisations attract, manage, and retain talent. This article explores the leading HR companies driving that change — and the structural forces shaping the market’s next phase of growth.
Key market drivers
Several structural and economic factors underpin growth in Germany’s HR sector:
- Digital transformation – The shift towards cloud-based HR management, employee self-service platforms and digital payroll is accelerating across both private and public organisations.
- Regulatory complexity – Germany’s robust labour laws, co-determination rules, and stringent data protection standards create ongoing demand for expert HR compliance services.
- Demographic change – With an ageing workforce and persistent skills shortages, particularly in engineering, healthcare and IT, companies are investing more heavily in recruitment, retention, and workforce planning solutions.
- Hybrid and flexible work models – Remote work, introduced at scale during the pandemic, has evolved into long-term hybrid policies that require new HR frameworks and employee experience tools.
- ESG and wellbeing priorities – Growing awareness of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors has broadened HR’s remit to include mental health, inclusion, and sustainability in workforce strategy.
Challenges and constraints
Despite strong growth potential, the German HR market faces several constraints:
Fragmentation
The market remains highly fragmented, with a mix of global consultancies, regional firms and niche tech providers competing for share.
Cost and efficiency pressures
Many HR departments operate under tight budgets, limiting investment in transformation and technology integration.
Legacy systems
Integration with older ERP and payroll systems continues to slow the adoption of modern cloud solutions, especially in manufacturing and public sector environments.
Localisation and language
The need for fully localised HR tools and German-language compliance documentation presents barriers for international vendors entering the market.
Regulatory fragmentation
Variations across the Länder (federal states) in employment law application and interpretation complicate nationwide implementation of HR processes.
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Methodology
To be eligible for this ranking, a company has to meet the following criteria:
- Headquartered in Germany
- Listed as ‘Active’ on the German Handelsregister
- Classified within the ‘Human Resources’ industry, using Beauhurst’s industry classification
Companies have been ranked by annual turnover. Only companies with turnover filed from 31st December 2023 onwards have been included in the ranking.
The data for this report was found using the Beauhurst platform, and is accurate as of 20 October 2025.
The top 5 HR companies in Germany
Piening
Founded: 1979
Location: Bielefeld
Turnover: €285m
Headquartered in Bielefeld, Piening Personal is one of Germany’s largest recruitment agencies — and one of the few that remain family-owned and operated. The company provides staffing and personnel services across a wide range of sectors, including care, medicine, and education through its specialist brand inCare.
Over two decades ago, Holger Piening played a key role in negotiating Germany’s first collective agreement for temporary work (the iGZ collective agreement), setting industry standards that continue to benefit workers today. Piening’s commitment to equitable pay, industry bonuses, and strong collective agreements has helped elevate employment practices across the sector.
Tempton
Founded: 2007
Location: Essen
Turnover: €408m
Founded through the merger of several mid-sized staffing firms in 2007, Tempton has grown into one of Germany’s leading personnel service providers, offering recruitment and staffing solutions across nearly every industry.
Headquartered in Essen and employing more than 9,500 people nationwide, the company supports over 11,500 clients daily, from SMEs to major corporates, by supplying industrial and technical workers, commercial staff, certified nursing professionals, IT experts, engineers, and interim managers.
With a turnover of €408m, Tempton ranks among the country’s largest and fastest-growing HR service providers, recognised on the Lünendonk-Liste 2024 for its consistent expansion and scale.
Amadeus Fire Group
Founded: 1986
Location: Frankfurt
Turnover: €437m
Headquartered in Frankfurt, Amadeus Fire is one of Germany’s leading recruitment and professional development companies, specialising in job placement, interim management, and training services for specialists and executives.
With a turnover of €437m, the company provides tailored staffing and career solutions across accounting, IT, banking, and office administration, supporting clients ranging from SMEs to large corporates. Its strong focus on matching qualified professionals with the right opportunities has earned it a place among Germany’s high-growth firms, featuring on both the Focus Business Wachstumschampions (2024 and 2025) and the Lünendonk-Liste 2024.
Hofmann Personal
Founded: 1985
Location: Nuremberg
Turnover: €820m
Headquartered in Nuremberg, Hofmann Personal is one of Germany’s largest and most established family-run personnel service providers, with a turnover of €820m.
Founded in 1985 by Ingrid Hofmann, the company has grown from a regional staffing firm into a nationwide leader in customised human resources management, providing services across industrial, commercial, and office environments.
In addition to personnel leasing and recruitment, Hofmann Personal offers cleaning and facility services for offices, and outdoor spaces, delivering comprehensive workforce and operational support to a broad range of clients.
SAP
Founded: 1972
Location: Walldorf
Turnover: €6.35b
Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Walldorf, SAP is one of the world’s largest software companies and a global leader in enterprise application and cloud solutions, with a turnover of €6.35b.
The company supports organisations of all sizes in managing business processes more efficiently across finance, supply chain, HR, and customer experience. In recent years, SAP has further expanded its ecosystem through strategic acquisitions, including Signavio (2021), Concur (2014), and SmartRecruiters (2025), strengthening its position as a market leader in enterprise software and digital innovation.
SAP also operates event and innovation hubs in Germany, offering state-of-the-art venues that showcase its technology and facilitate collaboration between clients, partners, and developers.
The future of HR companies in Germany
The outlook for Germany’s HR industry is strong, supported by long-term workforce trends and accelerating digital transformation. While short-term economic uncertainty may temper hiring activity, structural shifts in demographics, technology, and work culture will continue to drive sustained demand for HR services and innovation.
AI and automation will define the next decade of HR in Germany. From generative AI tools for recruitment and onboarding to predictive analytics that anticipate workforce needs, technology is becoming deeply embedded in how organisations manage talent. Companies that combine automation with a human-centred approach — balancing efficiency with empathy — will stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
Sustainability and social responsibility will also play a growing role. As ESG considerations move to the forefront of corporate strategy, HR leaders will be central to delivering on diversity, equity, inclusion, and wellbeing goals. Providers offering tools and advisory services that help clients measure and improve social impact will find expanding opportunities.
Demographic change remains one of Germany’s biggest HR challenges and opportunities. An ageing population and persistent skills shortages will continue to push employers to rethink attraction and retention strategies, invest in upskilling, and open their talent pipelines to international workers. HR firms that specialise in cross-border recruitment, reskilling programmes, and workforce mobility will be well placed to meet this demand.
Finally, hybrid and flexible work models are here to stay. The next wave of HR innovation will focus on supporting distributed teams, ensuring compliance, engagement, and performance across borders and time zones. Cloud-based HR platforms, real-time analytics, and digital employee experience tools will underpin this transformation.
In short, the HR industry is evolving from administrative support to strategic enablement. Firms that blend technological sophistication with local expertise, compliance knowledge, and cultural understanding will be the ones shaping the future of work in Europe’s largest economy.
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