Overview
- BiB's analysis published Wednesday shows average weekly working time per person aged 20–64 fell by 0.3 hours in 2025 compared with the 2023 peak.
- The 0.3 hour drop is the rough equivalent of about 460,000 full‑time jobs when converted into full‑time equivalents.
- The decline was concentrated among men, people aged 25–54 and those with lower educational attainment, while over‑60s increased their hours.
- Women's average hours held at about 24 per week, a stability BiB links to persistent staff shortages in education, childcare and health that keep female employment and hours higher.
- BiB used Mikrozensus data age‑standardized to 2025 and says the fall mainly reflects cyclical economic weakness, warning that population aging will raise the policy importance of small changes in per‑capita working time.