Konjunktur: Arbeitszeit pro Kopf sinkt leicht - Ältere arbeiten mehr

Wiesbaden - Germany's average work hours per person have slightly decreased recently after years of growth, according to calculations by the Federal Institute for Population Research (BiB). In 2025, this value was 0.3 hours less per week than the peak in 2023. The average weekly working hours stood at 28.5 in 2025, compared to 28.8 in 2023.

BiB defines work hours per person as the average weekly work time of all individuals aged 20 to 64, not just those employed. This metric helps gauge the labor force. The recent decline in average work hours equates to approximately 460,000 full-time positions. The decrease was most noticeable among men and those aged 25-54, while it continued to rise among the elderly.

The institute attributes this to the economic situation, noting that economic downturns typically coincide with lower work hours per person. Women's work hours remained largely stable at around 24 per week, likely due to ongoing labor shortages in fields such as education, childcare, and healthcare, where women are more prevalent.

For those over 60, work hours per person have been increasing, partly due to gradually raising the retirement age. The analysis also shows differences based on educational level, with the decline in work hours being more significant for those with lower education. "In the coming decades, the number of working individuals will continue to decrease due to aging," said BiB research director Sebastian Klüsener.

"Work hours per person will highlight how much we are utilizing existing work potential and will gain more importance in the future." The BiB calculations are based on data from the Microcensus, with values adjusted for age using the 2025 population structure to account for demographic shifts.