ERGANI: Overtime at Record Highs in 2025, Employment Balance Remains Positive

Overtime Reaches Historic Levels

According to official data from the ERGANI information system, recorded overtime hours between January and July 2025 exceeded 3.5 million, marking an 80% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The rise of 1.5 million hours is attributed both to the full implementation of the Digital Work Card and the increased needs of businesses, especially in the Tourism and Hospitality sectors.

Tourism Leads the Surge

The most dramatic spike is observed in Tourism, where overtime soared by:

• +728% in the seven-month period,
• +541% on a monthly basis.

The Hospitality sector followed with a 301% increase over the seven months and 154% month-on-month. Overtime in Retail Trade rose by 105%, while in Industry it was up by 65%.

In July 2025 alone, recorded overtime was 76% higher than in July 2024.

Employment Balance: Still Positive

Employment flows paint a more nuanced picture:

• In July 2025, the balance of hires versus departures was negative by 20,729 jobs (292,270 new hires vs. 312,999 departures).
• Yet this marks an improvement compared to July 2024, when the deficit reached -34,979 jobs.

Overall, in the January – July 2025 period, the employment balance stood at +319,843 jobs, up from +304,229 a year earlier – the strongest result since 2001.

Quality of Employment Under the Microscope

Between January and July, a total of 2,053,003 new labor contracts were signed:

• 56.5% full-time contracts,
• 34.4% part-time contracts,
• 9.1% rotational employment.

In July 2025, new hires were distributed as follows: 51.3% full-time, 38.4% part-time, and 10.3% rotational.

Digital Work Card as a Transparency Tool

The Digital Work Card has emerged as a key instrument for transparency, offering real-time data on both overtime and employment flows.

Although the overall yearly balance is highly positive, monthly fluctuations – especially during the summer months – continue to affect labor market dynamics.

Growth with Conditions

The Greek labor market in 2025 presents a largely encouraging picture:

• Record-breaking overtime,
• Positive jobs balance,
• Market stabilization at historic levels.

The main challenge now lies in the quality of employment: ensuring that job creation goes hand-in-hand with better working conditions and stronger protections for employees.