Overview
- Forty-five percent of part-time mothers say they would increase their hours if employers improved conditions such as flexible models, compared with 17% who would do so under current setups.
- Willingness is higher among mothers whose youngest child is under 12, with 48% ready to add hours versus 38% among those with older children.
- The most cited reason for part-time work is the desire for more time with children, reported by 39% of mothers with under-12s.
- Researchers urge time- and location-flexible arrangements plus greater autonomy, and 40% of mothers say any increase should be reducible later.
- Prognos surveyed more than 1,500 part-time employed mothers in spring 2025 for the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, with results framed as untapped labor potential relevant to Germany’s skilled worker shortage.