People work more, but less hours
The average number of working hours has decreased in Germany. At the same time, the volume of work reached a record high in 2023 compared to the values since 1991, according to researchers from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) in Berlin. “The total volume of work has increased primarily because more and more women are employed,” says study author Mattis Beckmannshagen. However, the labor market potential of women is not being fully used. The study shows that, on average, women still perform significantly more care work than men and work fewer hours in a job.
Possible countermeasures could be reforms to income tax brackets and the splitting of spousal benefits, according to the authors of the study.
Further information
DIE ZEIT: In Deutschland wird so viel gearbeitet wie noch nie
Süddeutsche Zeitung: So viel arbeiten die Deutschen wirklich (for subscribers)