Germany part-time employment rate
Germany part-time employment rate stood at 40.25% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment and working-time structure | |||||||||||
| Part-time rate | 40.25 | 39.93 | 39.77 | 39.96 | 39.9 | 39.55 | 39.39 | 39.57 | 39.53 | 39.18 | |
| Multiple jobholders | 4,605.2 | 4,560.29 | 4,691.42 | 4,669.09 | 4,552.49 | 4,565.55 | 4,642.29 | 4,606.46 | 4,484.66 | 4,489.03 |
Understanding germany part-time employment rate
The proportion of the dependent workforce occupied in part-time positions is tracked by this structural percentage. It expresses the count of part-time employees as a mathematical share of total dependent employees within the domestic territory. Full-time personnel enter the denominator alongside part-time staff, while self-employed individuals and unpaid family helpers are excluded from both the numerator and denominator. Unlike the sibling headcount series that report absolute worker numbers in thousands, this indicator measures the relative prevalence of reduced-hours arrangements across the dependent labour market.
Scrutinizing movements in this ratio requires examining whether changes are driven by shifts in part-time hiring or adjustments in full-time staffing. The percentage can rise either because part-time recruitment accelerates or because full-time positions contract during an economic downturn. Seasonal patterns exist due to seasonal hiring waves in service sectors, making year-on-year comparisons the most reliable approach for distinguishing secular structural reorganization from calendar-driven fluctuations. Analysts should also note that a steady rate does not guarantee stability in labour supply, since average hours worked by part-time staff can shift while their headcount share remains constant. Revisions happen automatically whenever the underlying employee headcount benchmarks are updated.
Frequently asked questions
- How is the part-time rate calculated?
- It is computed by dividing the number of part-time employees by the total number of dependent employees and expressing the result as a percentage.
- Are self-employed workers factored into this rate?
- No, the ratio is calculated strictly within the dependent employee population and excludes self-employed workers entirely.
- Why can this percentage change during an economic recession without new part-time hiring?
- If full-time jobs are eliminated faster than part-time roles, the mathematical share of part-time employment will rise even if part-time headcounts remain flat.