Germany's Working Habits: A Surprising Finding
Average German Work Hours Likely Insufficient, Finds Research
In an unexpected twist, it seems that Germans work less than the majority of economic nations, according to a study by the Institute of the German Economy (IW). Despite the conservative party's complaints about a supposed lack of work ethic, Germany ranks third-to-last in the OECD for average working hours per working-age adult.
According to a report by "Bild am Sonntag," in 2023, Germany had around 1,036 hours worked per inhabitant, placing them in the third-lowest position among OECD countries. Only France and Belgium worked fewer hours, with approximately 1,027 and 1,021 hours, respectively. The countries with the most hours worked were New Zealand, Czech Republic, and Israel.
Labor market expert and study author Holger Schäfer from IW told "Bild am Sonntag" that Germans work less compared to the 1970s but have worked more since reunification. In comparison, Germans worked around 1,013 hours ten years ago.
IW: Germany Faces a Looming Workforce Shortage
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently urged Germans to increase their work hours. Michael Hüther, IW President, stated to "Bild am Sonntag" that the country is currently experiencing a skilled labor shortage, and by the end of the decade, Germany could be short of "around 4.2 billion working hours."
The number of hours worked in Germany reached a record high of over 61.3 billion in 2024, with over 46 million people employed. However, the number of hours worked per capita has actually decreased over the decades and has recently seen a small increase, due in part to the increasing employment of women. In 1991, only 57% of women of working age were employed, compared to the current record high of 73.6%. The number of employed men also increased, though at a slower rate.
The Myth of the Social Welfare Couch Debunked
Contrary to popular belief, people with basic income tend to work more and donate more, according to the Federal Statistical Office. Despite reaching record highs in both the number of hours worked and the number of employed people, the number of hours worked per capita has actually decreased over the years due to the increasing employment of women who often work part-time.
Despite Germany's high part-time work rate among Western industrialized countries (29.3% in the fourth quarter of 2024), many areas of Western Germany lack well-developed childcare facilities, hindering women from working more and for longer periods.
Sources: ntv.de, als/AFP
- Institute of the German Economy Cologne
- OECD
- Labor Market
- Employees
- Working Hours
- Women
- Employment
- A solution proposed by the Institute of the German Economy (IW) to address Germany's looming workforce shortage, which is expected to reach around 4.2 billion working hours by the end of the decade, could involve boosting vocational training programs to equip more citizens with the necessary skills for various business sectors.
- With the general-news reporting a debunked myth of the social welfare couch, it's been revealed that people with basic income not only work more but also contribute more to charities, suggesting that community policies supporting such initiatives could potentially stimulate both the economy and national philanthropy, thereby intertwining finance, business, politics, and social welfare within a broader framework of general-news discourse.
