The number of persons in employment continues to rise
46.1 million people in Germany are employed. This represents a slight increase compared to the previous quarter. New jobs are being created almost exclusively in one sector.
Despite the persistent economic downturn, the number of employed people in Germany continues to rise. In the second quarter of this year, 46.1 million people were working or self-employed, according to the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden.
Adjusted for seasonal fluctuations, this represents an increase of 54,000 or 0.1 percent compared to the previous quarter, and a rise of 0.4 percent compared to the previous year. This figure is below the EU average (+0.7 percent) and the Eurozone average (+0.8 percent). Furthermore, the rate of growth is slowing down: in the first three months, it was still 64,000 people.
For the first time since the Corona pandemic began, there was a decrease in employment in Germany in the first quarter of 2021. Almost all new jobs were created in the service sector, with 229,000 additional employed people. However, employment in the industry and construction sectors continues to decline due to the sluggish economy, with 65,000 fewer people employed than a year ago.
The number of self-employed people, including those with assisting family members, has also decreased. Their number fell by 29,000 to 3.8 million. They were opposed by 42.3 million employees. This is an increase of 196,000 people or 0.5 percent compared to the previous year. On average, employed people worked 318.2 hours in the quarter, an increase of 0.4 percent.
Despite the sluggish economic conditions, the German government is actively focusing on employment and social security initiatives. Nearly all the new jobs created in the second quarter were in the area of employment and social security services.
