Germany full-time labour volume
Germany full-time labour volume stood at 9,456.5 million hours in Q2 2026, according to Institute for Employment Research (IAB) of the Federal Employment Agency. It is one of the indicators in the IAB working time accounts table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 1991 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the IAB working time accounts table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour volume including side jobs | 12,899.85 | 14,138.32 | 13,914.33 | 13,984.39 | 12,927.44 | 14,123.26 | 13,997.92 | 14,073.83 | 13,090.69 | 14,074.49 | |
| Employee labour volume | 12,596.96 | 13,800.87 | 13,578.3 | 13,642.55 | 12,617.73 | 13,783.54 | 13,658.8 | 13,739.38 | 12,785.11 | 13,742.88 | |
| Full-time labour volume | 9,456.5 | 10,387.91 | 10,236.93 | 10,295.98 | 9,540.62 | 10,451.15 | 10,368.86 | 10,427.51 | 9,717.99 | 10,481.5 |
Understanding germany full-time labour volume
This series compiles total actual working hours performed exclusively by staff on full-time contracts in their primary occupations. It encompasses standard contractual commitments, approved paid overtime, and uncompensated extra hours contributed by full-time personnel. Time lost to annual holidays, statutory non-working days, medical absences, and short-time arrangements is deducted from the total. The measure separates core full-time dependent labor from part-time positions, secondary side employment, and entrepreneurial work performed by the self-employed.
Pronounced calendar movements shape the unadjusted quarterly trajectory, reflecting statutory holiday placements and summer leave concentrations. Year-on-year comparisons across identical quarters offer the most dependable view of cyclical labor demand, bypassing the seasonal distortions inherent in sequential quarterly comparisons. Initial releases rely on establishment indicators and provisional administrative filings, which undergo subsequent revisions as complete social security data are integrated. Because businesses frequently adjust full-time overtime or working-time accounts before making hiring or dismissal decisions, this series functions as a sensitive gauge of cyclical labor utilization.
Frequently asked questions
- Are part-time workers or second jobs included in this aggregate?
- No, the series strictly monitors hours worked by full-time employees within their primary positions.
- How does overtime affect full-time labour volume?
- Both paid overtime and estimated unpaid extra hours are added to contractual hours in the total calculation.
- Why might full-time labour volume fall while full-time headcount remains constant?
- Reductions in standard contractual hours, increased sick leave, expanded vacation time, or short-time work schemes can lower aggregate volume without changing staffing levels.