Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

WORKING IN GERMANY

Why part-time workers are less happy than full-timers in Germany

Part-time can be more stressful than a full-time job in Germany, a new study has found.

Published: 8 March 2023 08:58 CET
A working mother works at home with her young child. Most part-time workers in Germany are women.
A working mother works at home with her young child. Most part-time workers in Germany are women. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-tmn | Silvia Marks

With flexible working hours and more time for hobbies and life admin, part-time work often sounds like a very desirable option for employees. But a recent study by the regional jobs portal meinestadt.de has shown that part-time workers in Germany are more dissatisfied with many aspects of their working life than full-time workers in Germany – and more stressed.

The study, which was made exclusively available to Spiegel, found that one-fifth of part-time workers rated their own state of health as “less good” or “poor” – around five percent more than among full-time employees. Only 44.6 percent of part-time workers rated their own state of health as “very good” or “good” – compared to 54 percent for full-timers. 

A lot of part-time workers also reported feeling disadvantaged when it comes to further training: while just under 56 percent of full-time employees said they regularly receive company training, only 44 percent of part-time employees reported the same. 

Just under one-third of part-time workers said they felt “quite stressed” by their work situation, and just under seven percent said they felt “very stressed”. The biggest factor was psychological stress, which affected more than half; while around 40 percent complained about deadline pressure and lack of time, and around a third about overtime and extra work.

READ ALSO: Why a record high number of employees went on sick leave in Germany in 2022

According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the part-time rate of mothers is almost ten times higher than that of fathers in Germany and mothers of younger children in Germany work part-time twice as often as the EU average.

Through Germany’s ‘Elternzeit’ (parental leave) system, it is common for mothers to work part-time until their child turns three, with many staying on a reduced work schedule.

The part-time rate for women, in general, is 47.5 percent, while the figure for men is only 10.7 percent. It seems reasonable to assume, therefore, that it is mainly women in Germany who are most affected by the stress of part-time work.

A study by the market research institute Bilendi in September 2022 also uncovered dissatisfaction amongst part-time workers in Germany. The survey of a total of 3,000 full-time and part-time professionals aged 18 to 65 found that two-thirds of part-time workers said they were feeling the effects of the skilled worker shortage, while more than a quarter were working overtime because of absent colleagues. Just under a third said work had become more compressed compared to pre-Covid times.

Lots of part-time workers in Germany

According to a survey conducted by the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) in December 2022, Germany has the fourth highest part-time employment rate in Europe, at around 28 percent of total employment – behind the Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria. 

Last year, the number of part-time employees in Germany rose by two percent, compared to a 1.3 percent rise in full-time employees. This was also due to growth in industries with a high proportion of part-time workers, such as the hospitality industry and education.

READ ALSO: Foreign workers filled over two-thirds of new jobs in Germany in 2022

Part-time jobs also rose to a record level as, for the first time, more than ten percent of employees were logging 32 hours of work a week or less.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

WORKING IN GERMANY

Five things to know about salaries in Germany

Finding a job is typically a top priority when planning a move to Germany. The country boasts the third largest economy in the world and a continuing need for skilled professionals. 

Published: 2 May 2024 12:26 CEST
Five things to know about salaries in Germany

If you are moving to Germany, you might soon start looking for a job in the country. However, like many other aspects of living abroad, there are several cultural differences and specificities when it comes to job hunting in Germany – especially when it comes to salaries.

Here are five things to know about salaries in Germany.

There is a minimum wage in Germany

Germany’s minimum wage of €12.41 per hour, pre-tax came into effect at the start of this year. This amounts to a monthly salary of €2,054 which ranks ninth in the world. The minimum wage will rise again in 2025 to €12.82 per hour before tax deductions.

There have been calls recently to hike the salary up higher to €14 per hour.

READ ALSO: Millions of workers in Germany ‘earning less than €14 per hour’

Find out salary expectations

Germany does not require companies to list salary ranges for listed positions. But that may be changing soon. The EU parliament passed a wage transparency law to require companies to publish annual reports detailing wage and wage discrepancy information. The rules, which are set to go into effect in 2027, are intended to help close the gender pay gap. 

In the meantime, employees can utilise online resources to find industry averages and expectations for different roles:

  • Gehalt.de offers users access to salary information on more than 800 professions
  • Online platform, Kununu provides compensation information and employer reviews to users in the DACH region  
  • Berlin residents can utilise REDSOFA’s salary survey for an overview of salary averages in the country’s capital city

As of April 2023 the average gross monthly salary was €4,323 according to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office.

Two-thirds of full time workers make less than this average monthly salary and one-third of workers earn more than this average monthly salary.

While wages after deductions may be less than similar roles in other countries, it is also important to take into consideration what other benefits come with a salary. Paid holiday leave, pension contributions, long notice periods and annual bonuses can help make up some of that difference. 

READ ALSO: How much do employees in Germany typically earn?

Check your payment schedule

Internationals can usually expect their salary once a month when working in Germany. Many German companies choose to pay employees either on the 1st or 15th of the month. It is also important to note that most employees can expect to receive their first pay check within 30 or 45 days of starting. 

For positions that offer yearly bonuses, these payments are included in a 13th pay check which are subject to income tax.  

A person works on a laptop.

A person works on a laptop. Image by Bartek Zakrzewski from Pixabay

How many hours do you work?

When looking for a job, don’t forget to check how many hours you can expect. Job descriptions will include expectations for time commitments. 

Mini-jobs, as expected from the name, are limited in hours and pay. Employees can expect up to €538 per month. Mini-jobs do not provide social security because they do not require social security contributions. Employees are also not automatically covered by health and nursing care insurance. 

Teilzeit, or part time jobs, are defined as any job where working hours are less than a full time position.

A common misconception is that part-time work requires working 20 hours or less a week. But an employee working five days a week for 30 hours, at a position that is typically 40 hours when full time can also be defined as a part time worker. 

READ ALSO: The rules in Germany around ‘mini’ and ‘midi jobs’

In fact, Germany has a term for workers who work between 28 and 36 hours a week. Vollzeitnahe Teilzeit, or nearly full time part time workers, can be a popular choice for some people, including parents. These positions can give employees more flexibility to balance work and family responsibilities. It is important to note that these workers are paid according to their time worked, so it will still amount to less than full time.

Depending on the work schedule, part time employees can earn the same amount of vacation as their full-time counterparts. That’s because holiday leave is calculated based on days worked, not hours. If a part time worker comes in five days a week, they will be eligible for at least 20 days of holiday. If that same part time worker comes in three days a week, they will be legally entitled to twelve days of vacation, even if they worked the same hours as the other employee. 

In most companies, weekly working hours between 35 and 40 hours are considered full-time employment or Vollzeitbeschäftigung. 

Watch out for the gross v. net difference

Before you sign the dotted line, it will be important to check how much of your gross salary you’ll be able to keep come pay day. Companies that include salary expectations in descriptions include gross salary (Bruttoeinkommen) – not the net income after taxes and deductions (Nettoeinkommen). The amount deducted will depend on how much you earn, the tax class you’re in and on other factors such as how much you’re paying for healthcare but it is usually around 40 percent. 

Salaried employees can find information on the deductions on their pay slip. Some to expect to see include:

  • Taxes are deducted directly from the gross pay. The amount is based on the tax bracket your salary falls within 
  • A percentage of your gross salary is also deducted for your pension / retirement contributions
  • Church taxes between eight and nine percent of your salary will also be due if you are affiliated with a religion
  • Unemployment insurance amounts to a 2.5 percent deduction from your gross salary. It is important to note that the insurance covers a salary up to €90,600 
  • Health insurance contribution rates are typically split between employers and employees. The rate depends on the provider. In 2024, the TK contribution rate to health insurance is 15.8 percent of the gross income

READ ALSO: What you need to know about your payslip in Germany 

SHOW COMMENTS