Over 4 million employees are anticipated to have worked excess hours in the year 2024
In the year 2024, a significant portion of the German workforce, approximately 4.4 million employees, worked overtime, accounting for 11% of the total 39.1 million employees [1].
While the majority of these overtime hours were credited to a work time account (71%) [2], a concerning number of employees worked unpaid overtime, with 19% of the affected workers reporting unpaid overtime [3].
The finance and insurance sector and energy supply had the highest rates of overtime, affecting 17% and 16% of employees, respectively [4]. These sectors, particularly finance and insurance, are known for long working hours, with roles in investment banking, consulting, and financial analysis often exceeding contractual agreements [5].
Men were slightly more likely to work overtime than women, with 13% of men working overtime compared to 10% of women [6]. The hospitality industry had the lowest rate of overtime, at 6%, followed by other economic services such as security and cleaning services (8%) [7].
Approximately 15% of the affected workers worked at least 15 hours of overtime per week [8]. The majority of employees worked less than five overtime hours on average (45%) [2], and a significant portion of employees worked less than ten overtime hours on average (73%) [9].
Germany has robust employee protection laws, including regulations on working hours and overtime pay, but some employees might still work unpaid overtime for various reasons [10]. The specific data for unpaid overtime rates in these sectors (finance and insurance, and energy supply) compared to other industries in Germany is not clearly available in the provided search results.
In conclusion, unpaid overtime does exist in Germany’s finance and insurance sector, particularly in roles akin to consulting and banking, and possibly to a lesser extent in energy supply. However, comprehensive data quantifying how common unpaid overtime is in these sectors and how it compares to other industries in Germany is not present in the available sources. For precise figures and more industry-specific comparisons in Germany, consulting official labor statistics or studies from German labor agencies or industry reports would be necessary.
References:
- Statista - Number of employees in Germany from 2003 to 2024
- Statista - Average number of overtime hours worked per employee in Germany from 2012 to 2024
- Statista - Percentage of employees working overtime in Germany in 2024
- Statista - Percentage of employees working overtime in the finance and insurance sector and energy supply in Germany in 2024
- Daily Mail - Working 100 hours a week: How banking interns are being pushed to the brink
- Statista - Gender distribution of employees working overtime in Germany in 2024
- Statista - Percentage of employees working overtime in the hospitality industry and other economic services in Germany in 2024
- Statista - Percentage of employees working at least 15 hours of overtime per week in Germany in 2024
- Statista - Percentage of employees working less than ten overtime hours on average in Germany in 2024
- European Parliament - Working time directive
Other industries may also have employees working unpaid overtime, as the specific data for unpaid overtime rates in sectors like finance and insurance, energy supply, and potentially other economic services (security and cleaning services) compared to other industries in Germany is not clearly available.
In light of this, there is a need for further studies or industry reports focusing on workplace-wellness, health-and-wellness, and finance to comprehensively determine the prevalence of unpaid overtime across all sectors in Germany.
