{"id":106338,"date":"2026-06-08T20:55:54","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T20:55:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/?p=106338"},"modified":"2026-06-30T12:13:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T12:13:31","slug":"the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/","title":{"rendered":"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"display:inline-block;background:#c0392b;color:#fff;padding:4px 14px;border-radius:20px;font-size:0.85em;margin-bottom:18px;\">6 min read<\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"><strong>In Germany, a qualified position remains vacant for an average of around 173 days-almost half a year. Stepstone has calculated the cost of such a gap in a model: around \u20ac49,500 per unfilled role, driven by lost productivity, extra workload for the team, and missed contracts. For a mid-sized company with multiple open positions, this figure appears directly on the balance sheet.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#202528;color:#fff;padding:32px 36px;margin:32px 0;border-radius:8px;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 18px 0;font-size:0.95em;font-weight:800;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.2em;color:#c0392b;border-bottom:2px solid rgba(192,57,43,0.25);padding-bottom:12px;\">Key Takeaways<\/p>\n<ul style=\"margin:0;padding-left:22px;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.92);line-height:1.6;\">\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:12px;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.92);\"><strong style=\"color:#c0392b;\">The gap comes with a price tag.<\/strong> An open position costs an average of \u20ac49,500, with the vacancy period lasting 173 days. According to the IW K\u00f6ln, the shortage costs the economy around \u20ac49 billion per year.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:12px;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.92);\"><strong style=\"color:#c0392b;\">The mid-sized sector can\u2019t win on salary.<\/strong> Large corporations lead the race for the highest wages. The mid-sized sector\u2019s levers are speed, flexibility, retention, and an honest employer brand.<\/li>\n<li style=\"color:rgba(255,255,255,0.92);\"><strong style=\"color:#c0392b;\">Recruiting is a process, not a job ad.<\/strong> Those who treat the role like a campaign-with a clear profile, fast feedback, and nurtured relationships-close the gap sooner and more cost-effectively.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"font-size:0.88em;color:#666;margin:20px 0 32px 0;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e5e5;padding:10px 0;\"><span style=\"color:#202528;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:0.72em;letter-spacing:0.14em;margin-right:14px;\">Related:<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/process-optimization-without-permanent-project-medium-sized\/\" style=\"color:#333;text-decoration:underline;\">Process optimization without the endless project<\/a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style=\"color:#ccc;\">\/<\/span>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/why-smes-fail-due-to-the-order-of-ai\/\" style=\"color:#333;text-decoration:underline;\">Why AI fails in mid-sized companies-by design<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:64px;margin-bottom:20px;\">What an open position really costs<\/h2>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\"><strong>What is the skilled labor shortage?<\/strong> The skilled labor shortage describes the situation where companies cannot fill open positions with suitably qualified applicants. It is not a short-term bottleneck but a structural consequence of demographics. According to the DIHK Skilled Labor Report 2025\/2026, 36 percent of companies report difficulties filling positions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"evm-inline-figure inarticle-visual\" style=\"display:block;max-width:100%;width:100%;margin:28px auto;border-radius:8px;overflow:hidden;border:1px solid #c0392b33;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/post-iav0-hero-9.jpg\" alt=\"Infographic shows four levers to combat skilled labor shortages: speed, profile, flexibility, and retention as circles with short labels.\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;display:block;\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#667;margin-top:.5em;font-style:italic;line-height:1.45;\">Four cost-effective levers boost speed, profile, flexibility, and retention.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\">The costs of an open position often remain invisible because they don\u2019t appear on any invoice. They hide in overtime for the existing team, in orders that aren\u2019t accepted, and in projects that get delayed. Stepstone has modeled this: \u20ac49,500 per unfilled role. The longer the search drags on, the larger this figure grows-and with an average vacancy period of around 173 days, the search is rarely quick.<\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\">The economic impact adds up. The Institute of German Economics estimates lost production potential due to the skilled labor shortage at around \u20ac49 billion per year, with an upward trend. For the individual mid-sized company, the message is simpler: every month a key position stays vacant costs more than most measures to shorten the search.<\/p>\n<div class=\"evm-stat-highlight\" style=\"background:#202528;color:#fff;text-align:center;padding:40px 24px;margin:32px 0;border-radius:8px;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:3.4em;font-weight:800;color:#c0392b;letter-spacing:-0.03em;line-height:1;\">\u20ac49,500<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:1em;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.88);margin-top:12px;max-width:520px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;line-height:1.5;\">is the average cost of an unfilled position, driven by lost productivity, team overload, and missed business.<\/div>\n<div style=\"font-size:0.78em;color:rgba(255,255,255,0.5);margin-top:12px;\">Source: Stepstone model calculation<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:64px;margin-bottom:20px;\">Why mid-sized companies lose the salary race<\/h2>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\">If a small business tries to outbid large employers on salary, it has already lost. A corporation can set a starting salary that would eat into a mid-sized company\u2019s margins. Don\u2019t even enter that race.<\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\">Here\u2019s the thing: candidates rarely decide on salary alone. What a small business can offer is precisely what\u2019s often missing at big companies-visible responsibility from day one, short decision paths, a role with tangible impact, and a boss who knows your name. These arguments cost no extra budget; they just need to be communicated honestly and then delivered.<\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\">The founder\u2019s perspective helps here. The strength of a small player lies in focus. Targeting 50 suitable candidates directly gives an edge over blasting an anonymous ad to 5,000 and hoping for responses. Recruiting works like a well-built campaign, not a notice on a bulletin board.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:64px;margin-bottom:20px;\">Four levers without corporate budgets<\/h2>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\">Real-world experience reveals four levers that don\u2019t touch salaries yet still cut time-to-fill significantly.<\/p>\n<div class=\"evm-timeline\" style=\"margin:28px 0;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:6px;overflow:hidden;\">\n<div style=\"background:#202528;color:#fff;padding:12px 18px;font-size:0.78em;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.14em;\">Four levers against the vacancy<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:8px 0;\">\n<div style=\"display:flex;gap:18px;padding:12px 20px;border-bottom:1px solid #f0f0f0;\">\n<div style=\"min-width:150px;font-weight:700;color:#c0392b;\">Speed<\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#333;line-height:1.55;\">Top candidates rarely stay on the market long. A 48-hour response and a streamlined process often beat the higher salary offered by slower competitors.<\/div><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:flex;gap:18px;padding:12px 20px;border-bottom:1px solid #f0f0f0;\">\n<div style=\"min-width:150px;font-weight:700;color:#c0392b;\">Profile over wish list<\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#333;line-height:1.55;\">An honest job description with three clear must-have requirements attracts more suitable applicants than a laundry list that even the previous incumbent couldn\u2019t tick off.<\/div><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:flex;gap:18px;padding:12px 20px;border-bottom:1px solid #f0f0f0;\">\n<div style=\"min-width:150px;font-weight:700;color:#c0392b;\">Show flexibility<\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#333;line-height:1.55;\">Flexible hours, home-office quotas and autonomy often weigh heavier in candidates\u2019 decisions than a few hundred euros more. A small firm can green-light these faster than any corporate giant.<\/div><\/div>\n<div style=\"display:flex;gap:18px;padding:12px 20px;\">\n<div style=\"min-width:150px;font-weight:700;color:#c0392b;\">Retain before you replace<\/div>\n<div style=\"color:#333;line-height:1.55;\">The cheapest hire is the one that never becomes vacant. Investing in your team\u2019s growth and satisfaction saves the costly cycle of re-hiring.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:64px;margin-bottom:20px;\">Retention beats re-hiring every time<\/h2>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\">The final lever deserves its own spotlight because it\u2019s so often overlooked. Every prevented resignation spares the business the average cost-and the long vacancy-that a replacement inevitably brings. Retention is therefore the most direct brake on spending a mid-size employer can pull, and it\u2019s not some soft HR sideshow.<\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\">What binds people is rarely headline-grabbing. It\u2019s regular conversations where real development happens, fair recognition of extra effort, and the assurance that good work doesn\u2019t vanish into the void. Here small firms hold an edge-if they seize it: lines of communication are short, the boss is accessible, and a genuine \u201cthank you\u201d carries more weight than any corporate program.<\/p>\n<p style=\"line-height:1.8;margin-bottom:20px;\">The skills shortage won\u2019t disappear-its roots are too deep. Yet what was once a market problem becomes a set of dials the company itself can turn. That\u2019s the difference between complaining about the market and taking action inside your own four walls.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:64px;margin-bottom:20px;\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<details style=\"border:1px solid #e9ecef;border-radius:6px;margin-bottom:8px;background:#f8f9fa;\">\n<summary style=\"padding:14px 18px;cursor:pointer;font-weight:600;text-align:left;\"><strong>What does an unfilled position really cost?<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p style=\"padding:14px 20px 18px;color:#495057;line-height:1.7;\">According to a Stepstone model calculation, each unfilled position costs an average of around \u20ac49,500. These costs arise from lost productivity, increased workload for the existing team, and missed business opportunities. With an average vacancy period of 173 days, this expense runs for about half a year.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"border:1px solid #e9ecef;border-radius:6px;margin-bottom:8px;background:#f8f9fa;\">\n<summary style=\"padding:14px 18px;cursor:pointer;font-weight:600;text-align:left;\"><strong>How can a small business compete with corporations for skilled workers?<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p style=\"padding:14px 20px 18px;color:#495057;line-height:1.7;\">Not through salary, but through speed, flexibility, and visible responsibility. Short decision-making processes, quick feedback during recruitment, and roles with clear impact are arguments that are often missing in large corporations-and they don\u2019t require extra budget.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"border:1px solid #e9ecef;border-radius:6px;margin-bottom:8px;background:#f8f9fa;\">\n<summary style=\"padding:14px 18px;cursor:pointer;font-weight:600;text-align:left;\"><strong>Why does filling skilled positions take so long?<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p style=\"padding:14px 20px 18px;color:#495057;line-height:1.7;\">The average vacancy period has risen to 173 days, and in sectors like construction, it\u2019s even longer. The root cause is a structural shortage of suitably qualified applicants. Slow, cumbersome recruitment processes further extend the timeline, as strong candidates often accept other offers in the meantime.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"border:1px solid #e9ecef;border-radius:6px;margin-bottom:8px;background:#f8f9fa;\">\n<summary style=\"padding:14px 18px;cursor:pointer;font-weight:600;text-align:left;\"><strong>Is employee retention more worthwhile than recruiting?<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p style=\"padding:14px 20px 18px;color:#495057;line-height:1.7;\">In most cases, yes. Every avoided resignation saves the business the full cost and vacancy period of a replacement. Investments in development, fair working conditions, and regular feedback are usually cheaper than searching for replacements-and they take effect immediately.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details style=\"border:1px solid #e9ecef;border-radius:6px;margin-bottom:8px;background:#f8f9fa;\">\n<summary style=\"padding:14px 18px;cursor:pointer;font-weight:600;text-align:left;\"><strong>How large is the skilled labor gap in Germany?<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p style=\"padding:14px 20px 18px;color:#495057;line-height:1.7;\">The Institute of German Economics estimates the skilled labor gap at around 573,000 positions and projects it could grow to about 768,000 unfillable roles by 2028. The DIHK Skilled Labor Report 2025\/2026 confirms: these shortages remain an ongoing challenge.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<h2 style=\"padding-top:64px;margin-bottom:20px;\">Editor&#8217;s Picks<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/ai-as-a-turnaround-lever-four-mid-sized-companies-show-how-it-really-works\/\">AI as a Turnaround Lever: Four SMEs Show How It Works<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/digital-procurement-how-ai-is-transforming-procurement-in-german-smes\/\">Digital Procurement: Boosting Efficiency in SMEs<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/strategic-partnerships-growth-without-acquisition-2026\/\">The Partnership That Delivers More Than Any Acquisition<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"margin:40px 0 24px 0;\">\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 12px 0;font-size:0.78em;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.18em;color:#666;\">More from the MBF Media Network<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding:14px 18px;border-left:3px solid #d65663;background:#fafafa;margin-bottom:6px;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:0.7em;font-weight:700;color:#d65663;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.12em;margin-bottom:4px;\">digital-chiefs<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.digital-chiefs.de\/ceo-burnout-mentale-gesundheit-fuehrung-unternehmensrisiko-2026\/\" style=\"font-weight:600;line-height:1.4;color:#1a1a1a;text-decoration:none;\">CEO Burnout: Mental Health at the Leadership Level<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:14px 18px;border-left:3px solid #0bb7fd;background:#fafafa;margin-bottom:6px;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:0.7em;font-weight:700;color:#0bb7fd;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.12em;margin-bottom:4px;\">cloudmagazin<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cloudmagazin.com\/2026\/06\/03\/gtia-state-of-the-channel-2026-ki-reifegrad-dach\/\" style=\"font-weight:600;line-height:1.4;color:#1a1a1a;text-decoration:none;\">AI Is No Longer a Playground for the IT Channel<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding:14px 18px;border-left:3px solid #69d8ed;background:#fafafa;\">\n<div style=\"font-size:0.7em;font-weight:700;color:#69d8ed;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.12em;margin-bottom:4px;\">securitytoday<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.securitytoday.de\/2026\/05\/16\/nis2-technische-mindestanforderungen-mittelstand-2026\/\" style=\"font-weight:600;line-height:1.4;color:#1a1a1a;text-decoration:none;\">Where SMEs Still Lag Behind on NIS2 Technical Requirements<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align:right;color:#868e96;font-size:0.85em;margin-top:48px;\"><em>Image source: Cover and article images AI-generated (May 2026), C2PA certificate embedded in images<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The shortage of skilled workers in small and medium-sized enterprises costs an average of \u20ac49,500 per unfilled position.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":151,"featured_media":106278,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"Skilled labor shortage","_yoast_wpseo_title":"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Mitigating the mid-sized business talent shortage: How small companies can combat the $49.5k-per-vacancy gap.","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-adv":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":0,"_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":0,"featured_post_sortierung":0,"featured_post":0,"pre_headline":"","bildquelle":"","teasertext":"","language":"de","_evm_translation_lang":"","_wp_old_slug":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2218,2219],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reboot-germany","category-talents-new-work","entry"],"evm_reading_time_minutes":7,"wpml_language":"en","wpml_translation_of":106277,"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Mitigating the mid-sized business talent shortage: How small companies can combat the $49.5k-per-vacancy gap.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Mitigating the mid-sized business talent shortage: How small companies can combat the $49.5k-per-vacancy gap.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MyBusinessFuture\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MyBusinessFuture\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-08T20:55:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-30T12:13:31+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fachkraeftemangel-mittelstand-kosten-vakanz-cover-hero.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1792\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Bernhard Liebl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@mbusinessfuture\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@mbusinessfuture\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Bernhard Liebl\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Bernhard Liebl\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#\/schema\/person\/01e9535223e8d95e19dc965936237c64\"},\"headline\":\"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-08T20:55:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-30T12:13:31+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/\"},\"wordCount\":1170,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fachkraeftemangel-mittelstand-kosten-vakanz-cover-hero.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Reboot Germany\",\"Talents &amp; New Work\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/\",\"name\":\"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fachkraeftemangel-mittelstand-kosten-vakanz-cover-hero.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-08T20:55:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-30T12:13:31+00:00\",\"description\":\"Mitigating the mid-sized business talent shortage: How small companies can combat the $49.5k-per-vacancy gap.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fachkraeftemangel-mittelstand-kosten-vakanz-cover-hero.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fachkraeftemangel-mittelstand-kosten-vakanz-cover-hero.jpg\",\"width\":1792,\"height\":1024,\"caption\":\"Ein leerer Arbeitsplatz, w\u00e4hrend das Team im Hintergrund weiterarbeitet.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/\",\"name\":\"MyBusinessFuture\",\"description\":\"B2B-Magazin f\u00fcr Digitalisierung, KI und Business-Innovation \u2014 Fachartikel f\u00fcr IT-Entscheider im DACH-Raum\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"MyBusinessFuture\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/MBF-logo-schwarz.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/MBF-logo-schwarz.png\",\"width\":398,\"height\":241,\"caption\":\"MyBusinessFuture\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MyBusinessFuture\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/mbusinessfuture\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/showcase\/mybusinessfuture\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#\/schema\/person\/01e9535223e8d95e19dc965936237c64\",\"name\":\"Bernhard Liebl\",\"description\":\"Bernhard Liebl ist Senior Campaigns & Performance Manager bei Evernine und Co-Founder der CSR- und Nachhaltigkeitsplattform planeed. Er f\u00fchrt B2B-Kampagnen mit Account-based-Marketing-Logik und KI-Integration und schreibt \u00fcber Performance-Marketing-Handwerk, CSR ohne Greenwashing und Founder-Lessons aus der Praxis eines kleinen Players. Neben Digital Chiefs und MyBusinessFuture besch\u00e4ftigt er sich operativ mit der Frage, wie sich Reichweite in messbare Wirkung \u00fcbersetzen l\u00e4sst.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/experte\/bernhard-liebl\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses","description":"Mitigating the mid-sized business talent shortage: How small companies can combat the $49.5k-per-vacancy gap.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses","og_description":"Mitigating the mid-sized business talent shortage: How small companies can combat the $49.5k-per-vacancy gap.","og_url":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/","og_site_name":"MyBusinessFuture","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MyBusinessFuture","article_published_time":"2026-06-08T20:55:54+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-30T12:13:31+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1792,"height":1024,"url":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fachkraeftemangel-mittelstand-kosten-vakanz-cover-hero.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Bernhard Liebl","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@mbusinessfuture","twitter_site":"@mbusinessfuture","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Bernhard Liebl","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/"},"author":{"name":"Bernhard Liebl","@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#\/schema\/person\/01e9535223e8d95e19dc965936237c64"},"headline":"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses","datePublished":"2026-06-08T20:55:54+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-30T12:13:31+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/"},"wordCount":1170,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fachkraeftemangel-mittelstand-kosten-vakanz-cover-hero.jpg","articleSection":["Reboot Germany","Talents &amp; New Work"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/","url":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/","name":"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fachkraeftemangel-mittelstand-kosten-vakanz-cover-hero.jpg","datePublished":"2026-06-08T20:55:54+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-30T12:13:31+00:00","description":"Mitigating the mid-sized business talent shortage: How small companies can combat the $49.5k-per-vacancy gap.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fachkraeftemangel-mittelstand-kosten-vakanz-cover-hero.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/fachkraeftemangel-mittelstand-kosten-vakanz-cover-hero.jpg","width":1792,"height":1024,"caption":"Ein leerer Arbeitsplatz, w\u00e4hrend das Team im Hintergrund weiterarbeitet."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/the-cost-of-an-unfilled-position-to-small-and-medium-sized-businesses\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Cost of an Unfilled Position to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/","name":"MyBusinessFuture","description":"B2B-Magazin f\u00fcr Digitalisierung, KI und Business-Innovation \u2014 Fachartikel f\u00fcr IT-Entscheider im DACH-Raum","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#organization","name":"MyBusinessFuture","url":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/MBF-logo-schwarz.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/MBF-logo-schwarz.png","width":398,"height":241,"caption":"MyBusinessFuture"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MyBusinessFuture","https:\/\/x.com\/mbusinessfuture","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/showcase\/mybusinessfuture\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/#\/schema\/person\/01e9535223e8d95e19dc965936237c64","name":"Bernhard Liebl","description":"Bernhard Liebl ist Senior Campaigns & Performance Manager bei Evernine und Co-Founder der CSR- und Nachhaltigkeitsplattform planeed. Er f\u00fchrt B2B-Kampagnen mit Account-based-Marketing-Logik und KI-Integration und schreibt \u00fcber Performance-Marketing-Handwerk, CSR ohne Greenwashing und Founder-Lessons aus der Praxis eines kleinen Players. Neben Digital Chiefs und MyBusinessFuture besch\u00e4ftigt er sich operativ mit der Frage, wie sich Reichweite in messbare Wirkung \u00fcbersetzen l\u00e4sst.","url":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/experte\/bernhard-liebl\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/151"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106338"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110123,"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106338\/revisions\/110123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mybusinessfuture.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}