Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Germany

Germany: Average weekly hours usually worked per employee was 34.01 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
34.01
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
86th
of 87 countries
All-time high
38.57
in 1984
All-time low
34.01
in 2024
Years of data
42
1983–2024

Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Germany, 1983–2024

0102030401983200320241983: 38.41984: 38.61985: 38.51986: 38.31987: 38.21988: 381989: 37.71990: 36.81991: 37.31992: 371993: 36.71994: 36.61995: 36.31996: 36.41997: 36.21998: 361999: 35.82000: 35.72001: 35.32002: 35.22003: 34.82004: 34.82005: 34.52006: 34.52007: 34.62008: 34.52009: 34.52010: 34.62011: 34.62012: 34.62013: 34.52014: 34.52015: 34.42016: 34.42017: 34.32018: 34.32019: 34.22020: 34.32021: 34.42022: 34.32023: 34.12024: 34

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Germany is 34.01, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 42 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Germany peaked at 38.57 in 1984 and was at its lowest, 34.01, in 2024.

Germany ranks 86th of 87 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.

Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Germany, year by year

Annual values for Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Germany, 1983 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1983 38.42
1984 38.57 +0.4%
1985 38.47 -0.3%
1986 38.28 -0.5%
1987 38.25 -0.1%
1988 37.97 -0.7%
1989 37.7 -0.7%
1990 36.79 -2.4%
1991 37.27 +1.3%
1992 37.02 -0.7%
1993 36.71 -0.8%
1994 36.56 -0.4%
1995 36.34 -0.6%
1996 36.43 +0.2%
1997 36.23 -0.5%
1998 35.99 -0.7%
1999 35.78 -0.6%
2000 35.69 -0.3%
2001 35.33 -1.0%
2002 35.17 -0.5%
2003 34.78 -1.1%
2004 34.77 -0.0%
2005 34.55 -0.6%
2006 34.55 +0.0%
2007 34.58 +0.1%
2008 34.48 -0.3%
2009 34.54 +0.2%
2010 34.6 +0.2%
2011 34.61 +0.0%
2012 34.6 -0.0%
2013 34.45 -0.4%
2014 34.47 +0.1%
2015 34.38 -0.3%
2016 34.41 +0.1%
2017 34.32 -0.3%
2018 34.31 -0.0%
2019 34.22 -0.3%
2020 34.33 +0.3%
2021 34.44 +0.3%
2022 34.33 -0.3%
2023 34.09 -0.7%
2024 34.01 -0.2%

Germany compared with similar countries

  • Germany's 34.01 is below the median for high income countries, which is 39, 87% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
  • Germany's 34.01 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 39.11, 87% of the median. (41 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 38.24 37.7 38.57 7
1990s 36.51 35.78 37.27 10
2000s 34.84 34.48 35.69 10
2010s 34.44 34.22 34.61 10
2020s 34.24 34.01 34.44 5

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 83 Canada 35.34 compare
  2. 84 Rwanda 34.72 compare
  3. 85 Austria 34.57 compare
  4. 87 Netherlands 33.37 compare

See the full ranking of 87 places →

More work & labour data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Germany?
Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Germany was 34.01 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest average weekly hours usually worked per employee recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 38.57 in 1984.
What is the lowest average weekly hours usually worked per employee recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 34.01 in 2024.
How does Germany rank for average weekly hours usually worked per employee?
Germany ranks 86th out of 87 countries with data for 2024.
Is average weekly hours usually worked per employee rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Germany data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Average weekly hours usually worked per employee. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Average weekly hours usually worked per employee in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/average-weekly-hours-usually-worked-per-employee/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Average weekly hours usually worked per employee
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
87 places, 1,878 data points, 1976–2026
Last refreshed

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. The concept of hours usually worked relates to the typical value of hours actually worked in a job per a short reference period such as one week, over a long observation period of a month, quarter, season or year that comprises the short reference measurement period used. The typical value may be the modal value of the distribution of hours actually worked per short period over the long observation period, where meaningful. The short reference period for measuring hours usually worked should be the same as the reference period used to measure employment. For more information, refer to the Wages and Working Time Statistics (COND) database description.