Amidst the coronavirus outbreak, a research suggests that employees are putting in more hours than they did previously.
Germany saw an unprecedented surge in work hours during the second quarter of the current year, as per a report by the Institute for Employment Research of the Federal Employment Agency (IAB). The total work hours clocked in at 14.7 billion, a 0.3% rise from the same quarter last year, after accounting for seasonal and calendar variations. This figure surpassed the 14.6 billion hours recorded in the second quarter of 2019 just marginally.
Enzo Weber, an IAB representative, commented, "This is quite remarkable given the economic lull we're currently in." However, he added that this upward trend might not persist. "The job market is stabilizing, part-time positions are on the rise, nearing 40%, and overtime is at an all-time low," Weber further explained.
The labor force counts 46.1 million people in the second quarter, a 0.4% increase compared to the previous year. The average work duration also saw a slight uptick, while productivity took a hit. The part-time employment ratio saw a "noteworthy" increase of 0.5 percentage points, reaching 39.8% in this year's second quarter.
Despite the economic lull, many Germans are employed, contributing to the rise in work hours. This trend might not continue as part-time positions are increasing and overtime is at a record low.
