The number of hours worked in Belgium’s industry, construction, trade, and service sectors fell significantly in the first quarter of 2025, according to provisional data released on Monday by the Belgian statistics office, Statbel.
The index of hours worked in the industry sector, which includes both hours actually worked and paid hours not worked (like holidays, lunch breaks, or travel time if included in contracts), dropped by 2.7% compared to the first three months of 2024.
This marks the first time in four years that this index has fallen below the 2021 reference level, which would indicate a slowdown in economic activity.
In the trade and repair sector, there was a 1.8% decrease, while the service sector experienced a decline of 1.2%.
The index of hours worked in the construction sector fell by 0.8%.
Meanwhile, Statbel reports that payroll indices for these sectors all saw annual increases. Wages rose by 2.9% in construction, 2.6% in services, 2.2% in trade and repair, and 1.1% in industry.
