Record Working Hours Reached in Berlin

Berlin's workforce has set a new record for working hours, with a total of 2.98 billion hours logged in the past year, marking a 1.1% increase compared to the previous year, according to the Berlin-Brandenburg Statistical Office. This trend of increasing work hours has been consistent since 2006, with only two notable exceptions during the economic crisis of 2009 and at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

On a per capita basis, employees in Berlin worked an average of 1,357 hours each, reflecting an increase of 11 hours, or 0.8%. The manufacturing sector saw the most significant rise in working hours, with a 2.5% increase per worker, while the agricultural, forestry, and fishing sectors experienced a growth of 1.5%. Conversely, the construction industry reported a decline in working hours, with a decrease of 1.2%.

Additionally, there has been a noticeable uptick in the number of employees taking on secondary jobs in Berlin. Despite this increase in the workforce, the rate of absenteeism due to illness has remained stable compared to the previous year. Furthermore, a growing number of workers are now employed part-time, indicating a shift in employment patterns.

This data sheds light on the evolving labor landscape in Berlin, highlighting both challenges and opportunities for workers and employers alike.