The reasons behind working part‑time are varied and differ between men and women.
In 2024 the most common reason cited by part‑time workers was the personal wish to work fewer hours. This accounted for 27.9 % of the 13.1 million part‑time employees in Germany, according to final results of the 2024 Micro Census released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). Women were slightly more likely than men to choose part‑time for this reason – 28.9 % of female part‑time workers versus 24.9 % of men.
A major driver for part‑time employment was caring for family members. Overall, 23.5 % of part‑time workers reduced their hours to look after children, people with disabilities, or other care‑needed relatives. Among women, this figure was 28.8 %, more than four times the 6.8 % of men who also worked part‑time for caregiving reasons.
Educational or training purposes were a reason for 11.6 % of part‑time workers. The share of men who cited study, training, or continuing education was higher (21.5 %) than the 8.4 % of women who mentioned it.
Other reported reasons included personal illness or disability (4.9 %) and a strong wish to work full‑time that could not be fulfilled because a suitable position was unavailable (4.8 %). The remaining 27.4 % gave other family, personal, or unspecified motivations for working part‑time.
In 2024, altogether 30.6 % of all employed persons in Germany worked part‑time. The part‑time share was markedly higher among women (49.5 %) than among men (13.9 %).
When part‑time work was driven by caregiving responsibilities, most respondents indicated that the decision was voluntary. About two‑thirds (65.3 %) of those working part‑time for caregiving reasons chose to do so themselves. The availability or cost of care services played a comparatively minor role: 11.1 % of caregiving part‑time workers said no suitable care option was available at the hours they needed, 5.2 % could not afford the care, and 3.1 % could not find a suitable provider nearby. For 15.4 % of these workers, other factors were decisive, according to Destatis.