Germans work fewer hours per week than most of their European Union counterparts, yet remain among the bloc’s most productive workers, according to data from Germany’s labor ministry.
In response to a parliamentary inquiry by the Left party (Die Linke), the ministry reported that the average workweek in Germany in 2017 was 34.9 hours—significantly below the EU average of 36.4 hours. Only the Netherlands (31.8 hours) and Denmark (33.8 hours) had shorter workweeks.
Meanwhile, countries such as Poland (39.4 hours), Bulgaria (40), and Greece (40.7) recorded substantially higher average weekly working hours, despite often being labeled as less productive by stereotypes in some Western European media.
Experts say Germany’s shorter workweek is partly due to a high rate of part-time employment, especially among women. Mark Fallak of the Institute of Labor Economics (IZA) noted that Germany has been transitioning away from single-earner households, albeit more slowly than nations like the Netherlands or the Scandinavian countries.
Despite working fewer hours, German workers still achieve impressive levels of efficiency. Labor productivity in Germany stands 27% above the EU average, according to the labor ministry’s analysis of Eurostat data. Only Luxembourg, Ireland, and Denmark scored higher.
Labor productivity reflects how much economic output is produced per unit of labor and is shaped by worker skills, infrastructure quality, and overall living standards.
Left party lawmaker Jessica Tatti used the data to argue for shorter work hours across the board. “Longer hours heighten the risk of mistakes and illness and are ultimately bad for both workers and employers,” she said.
The findings suggest that fewer hours and strong productivity can go hand in hand—a model Germany is increasingly embracing.