Almost half of all Germans regularly pursue a personal hobby. Five years ago, only about one in three made time for an individual pastime. This increased interest in hobbies is also reflected in the question of whether Germans have rediscovered an old hobby. Since the outbreak of the pandemic, roughly one in ten has returned to an old passion.
In the last ten years, the proportion of high earners who afford luxury holidays has tripled. Currently, more than one in seven German citizens with a high net household income spends more than €5,000 per person on their main holiday. Luxury is booming.
Four out of five citizens expect more flexible and individualized work opportunities in the future. This applies to both the timing and content of the job and reveals a shift in traditional ideas: away from fixed working hours and towards more flexibility and self-determination in the workplace.
Today's generation of children and teenagers is surrounded by a multitude of digital content – from social media and streaming services to online learning platforms. But how strong is the influence of media on children's development? And what role do the home and school still play?
The proportion of working women in Germany is growing steadily. Ten years ago, 72 per cent of women were in employment, but this figure has now risen to 75 per cent. This makes the female labour force participation rate in Germany one of the highest in Europe. However, when it comes to female managers, the country is only in the bottom third in Europe at around 29 per cent (EU average: 35%).
Ever since the coronavirus pandemic, the world of work has been changing in favour of flexible working models. Working from home, job sharing, flexible working hours and the promotion of individual working approaches have become increasingly important. Four out of five people expect these and new concepts to give them more freedom and flexibility in their everyday working lives over the next 20 years.
The increasing digitalisation of society is not only affecting the labour market, but also the private sphere, leisure time and interpersonal encounters. Currently, more than three out of four citizens believe that social contacts are suffering or becoming less frequent as a result of this development, leading to people becoming increasingly isolated.
Caring for relatives has become considerably more important in recent years. Within five years, the proportion of Germans who say they care for relatives regularly (at least once a week) has doubled from seven to 14 per cent. The type of care provided ranges from medical care, shopping, transport and other everyday tasks to support with individual challenges.
In light of the challenges posed by climate change, societal adaptation and the implementation of preventative sustainability concepts are essential. The economy plays a key role in this, as it is among the main sources of emissions. However, less than half of the population believes that companies will make sufficient future commitments to sustainable practices.
The willingness of citizens to support social tasks and challenges and actively participate in their implementation is a key element in solving future social challenges. Over four-fifths of citizens welcome more active participation in political processes, for example through citizen dialogues, round tables or forums.
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