(in German)

From May 2021 to December 2021, infas Institute for Applied Social Sciences conducted the fourth wave of the "BAuA Working Time Survey" on behalf of the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA).

Designed as a panel study, the survey aims at analysing long-term changes in the world of work and their consequences for the well-being of people in employment. The survey systematically records differences in the organisation of working time and related aspects of physical and mental health in Germany.

The population of the "BAuA Working Time Survey" consists of people aged 15 and older who work at least 10 hours per week in paid employment. In addition to persons subject to social security contributions, the population includes, among others, self-employed persons, civil servants and assisting family members. Due to the ongoing corona pandemic in 2021 and the overall economic situation, persons who were on short-time work at the time of the survey were also included as part of the fourth wave.

In addition to the panel participants from the previous waves (2015, 2017, 2019) the fourth wave surveyed an additional refreshment sample to compensate for panel attrition and reflect population changes in the sample. The sample of telephone interviews is based on a dual frame approach and thus includes randomly generated landline and mobile numbers only.

The data collection was carried out by means of computer-aided telephone interviews (CATI). In the fourth wave, a total of 20 192 interviews were carried out, including 14 640 interviews with first-time respondents and 5 552 interviews with panel participants. In Addition 1 179 interviews were carried out with panel participants who were no longer employed at the time of the survey or who had interrupted their current employment for more than three months.

Please download the complete report "Methodological Report and Questionnaire for the BAuA Working Time Survey 2021" (in German only).