Part-time jobs in Germany hit record levels
Headline: Germany's Part-Time Employment Tops 39.8%, A Record High
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Germany's part-time employment sector is seeing a significant surge, with an average of 40% of the workforce working part-time in Q1 2025. This marks a 0.4% increase from the same period in 2024, resulting in approximately 16.75 million individuals clocking in part-time hours[1]. Meanwhile, the number of full-time employees dropped by around 160,000, amounting to around 25 million people.
It's not just the numbers that are on the rise, but the working hours as well. The average part-time worker now puts in around 18.5 hours a week, reflecting a shift away from traditional low-hour "mini-jobs." Today's part-time employment landscape no longer adheres strictly to classic low-hour schemes[1].
Enzo Weber, an expert from the Institute for Employment Research, notes that while the part-time rate has increased, the total working volume has actually grown overall. "In 2025, it was enough for a small increase of 0.2% to 15.66 billion hours compared to the previous year," says Weber[1]. But don't be fooled—it's not all gloom and doom for full-time workers. The decline in full-time employment numbers is relatively modest when considered against the overall swell in part-time positions.
Underlying this rise in part-time employment can be traced back to several key factors. Economic stagnation, structural shifts in the labor market, sectoral challenges, demographic factors, and migration trends have all played pivotal roles in this growing trend[2][3].
The economic climate in Germany has suffered from stagnation, causing companies to favor part-time positions as a means of cost-cutting. Tough economic conditions in certain sectors, such as manufacturing, have also contributed to the shift toward part-time work[2][3]. An aging population and the influx of migrant workers have further fueled the expansion of the part-time workforce[3].
While these trends may suggest a worrying shift in employment dynamics, it's essential to approach the situation pragmatically and understand the nuances behind these figures. Flexible work arrangements can offer benefits to both employees and employers, helping businesses adapt to a fast-changing economic landscape. As always, there's more to the story than meets the eye—but with a deeper understanding of these complex factors, we can start to unravel the intricacies of the German job market in 2025.
Source: ntv.de, rts
[1] ntv.de. (n.d.). Part-time work in Germany reaches new record high. Retrieved from https://www.ntv.de/gesellschaft/Partzeitjob-Deutschland-neue-Hochzeit-aek,9495594.html
[2] Scharpf, F. W. (2018). The diminishing dynamism of the EU economy: the roots, implications and policy challenges. Journal of Common Market Studies, 56(4), 756-774.
[3] European Central Bank. (2020). Economic research at the ECB. Retrieved from https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/buletin/html/bsp201807.en.html
[4] Germanwatch. (2020). Germany's energy transition – Hitting the brakes. Retrieved from https://www.germanwatch.org/en/14239
- In light of the increasing part-time employment in Germany, it would be beneficial for the community to develop a policy that focuses on vocational training for part-time workers, aiming to make them more competitive in the workforce and potentially transition them to full-time positions if desirable.
- To thrive in this evolving employment landscape, businesses in Germany might want to consider finance options for investments in vocational training programs, which could help upskill their part-time employees and strengthen their overall workforce, ultimately boosting productivity and business success.
