Postdoctoral researchers’ perspectives on human resources development

Postdoctoral researchers are responsible for carrying out most of the research work in universities and research institutions, and they play a vital role in advancing knowledge and innovation. Yet, initiatives such as #IchbinHanna have brought something else to everybody’s attention: postdocs are in crisis. Despite their importance, postdoctoral researchers often face challenging working conditions, such as limited job security, lack of career prospects, and a high burden on their well-being. In the following, we show survey data from postdocs of the Max Planck Society (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, MPG) that highlight how these working conditions affect all aspects of a postdoc’s life and harm both researchers and research. Finally, we point to future directions on how these conditions need to be considered in human resources to facilitate sustainable career development. We argue that in this way, German academia can continue to attract and retain talented postdoctoral researchers, contributing to research and innovation in various fields.