BDSW: Security service providers increase turnover – Technological advances are changing the sector’s employment structure
The German security sector is proving resilient despite the persistently weak economy. Whilst many sectors of the economy continue to suffer from a reluctance to invest, the leading security service providers were able to increase their turnover again in 2025. At the same time, current employment trends suggest that the sector is undergoing increasing structural change: for the first time in several years, the number of employees has virtually stagnated; in traditional guard and security services, it has even declined slightly.
According to the latest data from the Federal Employment Agency, a total of 290,674 people were employed in economic sector 80, ‘Security and surveillance services and detective agencies’, as at 31 December 2025. Compared with the previous year’s figure of 290,575 employees, this represents an increase of just 0.03 per cent.
Technical security services are gaining in importance
This slight increase is attributable exclusively to the sector ‘Security services using surveillance and alarm systems’. In this sector, the number of employees rose by 438 to 10,442.
By contrast, traditional private guard and security services recorded a decline of 275 employees to 276,452 staff members. The number of employees in detective agencies also fell slightly – from 3,844 to 3,780 people.
The figures highlight a long-term shift within the security industry. Electronic security technology, intelligent surveillance systems and integrated security solutions are steadily gaining in importance and reshaping the sector’s service portfolio. At the same time, staffing requirements remain high, particularly in property security, event security and the protection of critical infrastructure.
Revenue growth remains positive
Whilst employment growth was only marginal, economic growth continued. According to the latest Lünendonk List, the 25 leading security service providers increased their security-related turnover by an average of 4.6 per cent in the 2025 financial year. Together, they generated a turnover of around 5.63 billion euros.
According to the Federal Association of the Security Industry (BDSW), this demonstrates the sector’s comparatively high resilience to crises.
“The private security sector is proving to be stable even under difficult macroeconomic conditions. Demand for our services remains high and companies are continuing to grow,” explains Cornelia Okpara, Chief Executive of the BDSW.
Growing demands increase staffing requirements
Despite increasing technological advances, the association does not foresee any reduction in the need for qualified security personnel. Modern surveillance and alarm systems may make many processes more efficient, but they cannot completely replace the deployment of qualified personnel.
“Traditional security services, in particular, are and will remain labour-intensive. In view of growing requirements – for example, regarding the protection of critical infrastructure, public facilities, businesses and events – we need not fewer, but more qualified employees,” says Okpara.
The security industry as an economic policy factor
Against the backdrop of growing security requirements, the BDSW increasingly regards the security industry as a systemically important component of Germany’s economic and security architecture. The association is therefore calling for a reliable political framework, the removal of bureaucratic hurdles, and measures that support investment and employment in the sector in the long term.
The latest figures illustrate that, despite a challenging economic environment, the security sector continues to hold its own as a growth industry. At the same time, the virtually stagnant trend in employment shows that digitalisation and security technology are increasingly transforming the sector, without fundamentally reducing the need for qualified security personnel.
