Part-Time Employment and Flexible Hours in Germany: A Changing Landscape
Controversial Discussion over Part-Time Job Limits in Germany - Work Hour Limits Under Scrutiny - Controversial Discussion over Part-time Employment Proportions in Germany
Germany has a noticeable high part-time employment rate within the European Union, with 29% of the working-age population engaged in part-time work in 2024, according to data from the European Labour Force Survey. This figure puts Germany after the Netherlands and Austria, with only 18% of workers across the EU working part-time.
Women in Germany are more likely to work part-time (48%) compared to men (12%), a trend that is relatively smaller in the EU as a whole. With women making up a significant portion of the part-time workforce, the German government has emphasized the importance of promoting work-family compatibility by considering flexible and moderate daily working hours.
However, as Germany faces an economic crisis, though the unemployment rate remains relatively low (6.3% in mid-2025), calls for longer working hours and reduced part-time employment have emerged, arguing that it is crucial for maintaining prosperity. These sentiments are primarily expressed by business associations and managers.
Meanwhile, the German government is considering introducing a weekly, rather than a daily maximum working time, which trade unions oppose, fearing it will mark an end to the eight-hour day. Surveys of German employees suggest a general reservation about relaxing the daily maximum working time.
Germany's Working Hours and the European Average
Although the belief that Germans work little is not backed by official data, it is true that Germany's full-time employees work slightly fewer hours on average per week than other EU countries, with an average of 40.2 hours per week in 2024. This trend persisted over the past decade, with slightly decreasing working hours in both Germany and the EU as a whole.
Despite the high part-time employment rate, Germany has a high employment rate overall, with 77% of the population aged 15-64 employed, compared to the EU average of 71%.
Overtime and Tax-Free Bonuses: A Possible Solution?
Amidst the debate on working hours, the concept of offering tax-free bonuses for overtime has been proposed as a means to encourage overtime work. While 45% of full-time employees expressed willingness to work overtime with such a bonus, opinions differ significantly among age groups, with younger respondents being more receptive.
Although specific details on the government’s plans for tax-free bonuses have not been released, the government’s generally proactive fiscal and tax policy agenda suggests that labor-related fiscal policy reforms may be on the horizon. These potential reforms could potentially extend to overtime compensation policies, making part-time and overtime work more attractive and financially rewarding.
A Distinctive Perspective within Europe
In comparison to other EU countries, where longer working hours prevail, Germany has consistently reported some of the lowest average work hours, a trend that is rooted in labor market regulations, culturally-influenced work-life balance, and unique labor market policies. Germany's relatively low work hours, combined with targeted government interventions, has positioned the country distinctively within European labor market trends.
In summary, Germany, in the midst of an economic crisis, faces a labor market characterized by a high part-time employment rate, slowing growth in part-time employment, and low average working hours compared to other developed economies. As the German government explores potential reforms to incentivize employment and economic growth, tax-free bonuses for overtime and adjustments to labor-related fiscal policies may play a significant role in the evolving landscape of part-time and overtime employment in the country. Germany's unique labor market policies and cultural attitudes towards work-life balance position it differently from other EU countries experiencing contrasting labor market pressures, thus reflecting a dynamic and complex labor market within the European Union.
- The German government, in the face of economic hardship, is contemplating labor-related fiscal policy reforms, such as offering tax-free bonuses for overtime work, to stimulate economic growth and employment, especially within the part-time and overtime sectors, following a distinctive perspective within European labor market trends.
- Amidst debates on community policy surrounding working hours, the call for longer working hours and reduced part-time employment in Germany has arisen from business associations and managers, while vocational training programs remain an integral aspect of promoting work-life balance and moderating daily working hours for the significant portion of part-time workers, primarily women, in the German workforce.
