The hidden labour reserve covers people who in principle want to work but are not counted as unemployed in official statistics. Reasons are typically a lack of active search (sometimes through resignation), limited availability (childcare, care for relatives) or participation in retraining and further-education measures.
The German Federal Employment Agency and the Federal Statistical Office capture the hidden reserve through microcensus data and special surveys. Estimates put the figure well above one million in Germany – a significant but invisible reservoir for the labour market.
For labour-market policy the hidden reserve is central: it shows the real workforce potential beyond the registered unemployment figure and shapes strategies against skills shortages. Stronger integration of women, older workers or people with migration backgrounds can mobilise parts of it.
Lunigi also addresses individuals from the hidden reserve who want a low-threshold re-entry – curated AI-safe roles without the pressure of a classic search process.