Work Hours Decline in Germany in 2024

In Germany, the year 2024 marked a notable decrease in total work hours compared to the previous year. According to the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) based in Nuremberg, the total working time for all employees fell by 0.1 percent to 61.37 billion hours.

Despite this decline in hours worked, the number of employed individuals saw a slight increase, rising by 71,000 to reach a total of 42.31 million. This growth was primarily attributed to the increase in part-time employment, which rose by 1.2 percent. Conversely, the number of full-time workers decreased by 0.2 percent, bringing the total to 25.58 million.

The proportion of part-time workers now stands at 39.5 percent, reflecting a rise of 0.3 percentage points from 2023. A significant trend observed was the decline in the number of self-employed individuals, which dropped by 1.9 percent, totaling 3.77 million.

On average, each employee worked 1,332 hours in the past year, which is 3.5 hours less than in 2023. Additionally, the number of overtime hours decreased, with employees logging an average of 13.1 paid overtime hours and 15.1 unpaid hours. This indicates a reduction of 0.1 paid and 2.2 unpaid overtime hours compared to the previous year.

This overall reduction in work hours and changes in employment demographics reflect ongoing shifts in the German labor market. As companies adapt to evolving economic conditions and employee preferences, the trend towards part-time work may continue to grow.