Insights from Eurostat: Part-Time Employment in Europe

The Eurostat dataset on part-time employment in the EU (lfsi_pt_a) provides valuable insights into how working patterns differ across member states, genders, and over time. Several key trends stand out:

Overall Share of Part-Time Work

Part-time employment has remained a significant feature of the European labor market. Across the EU, around 18-20% of employed people work part-time, but the share varies widely by country.

• Highest shares: The Netherlands leads by far, with more than 45% of all employed persons working part-time, followed by Austria, Germany, and Belgium (all above 25%).
• Lowest shares: Countries like Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania report extremely low levels, typically below 5%.

This shows a sharp divide between Western/Northern Europe and Eastern/Southern Europe in terms of employment culture and structure.

Gender Gap

The data highlight a very strong gender imbalance:

• In the EU overall, about 29% of women are employed part-time compared to just 8% of men.
• The Netherlands shows the biggest gender difference: over 60% of women work part-time, versus about 20% of men.
• In Eastern European countries, both male and female part-time rates remain very low, which reduces the gender gap.

This suggests that in many Western countries, part-time work is strongly linked to family and caregiving roles traditionally carried out by women.

Trends Over Time

Looking back over the last two decades:

• Part-time work rose steadily until about 2014–2015, then stabilized.
• Some countries like Germany and Austria saw slight decreases in recent years, while the Netherlands has remained consistently high.
• The COVID-19 pandemic caused small temporary fluctuations, but no dramatic long-term shifts are visible yet.

What Stands Out?

1. The Netherlands as an outlier: Its part-time rate is more than double the EU average.
2. Persistent gender inequality: Part-time jobs remain disproportionately female.
3. East–West divide: Low part-time levels in Eastern Europe reflect structural and cultural labor market differences.
4. Stability of the phenomenon: Despite economic crises and recovery phases, part-time employment remains a stable feature of European work culture.

Conclusion

The Eurostat data on part-time employment reveal that while part-time work provides flexibility and opportunities, it also reflects entrenched gender roles and significant regional differences within Europe. Policymakers aiming for equality in the labor market must address why women still overwhelmingly dominate part-time positions and why some regions see so little part-time flexibility at all.