Index of hours worked

Results and their publication

The index of hours worked for industries and construction is calculated and published on a monthly basis at the level of divisions, subsections and sections of ÖNACE 2008 B to F and for five main industrial groupings (consolidation of economic branches that predominantly produce goods for intermediate consumption, energy, capital goods, consumer durables or non-durables) beginning with reference period 01/1996. In parallel, time series according to the old ÖNACE 2003 were made available till reference period 12/2008. From reference period 01/2009 results are only available according to the new ÖNACE 2008. For the seasonally and working-day adjusted series, there may be slight (methodologically justified) deviations to the entire time series for each new reporting month as a result of EU-harmonised adjustment.

Initial preliminary results are published 55 days after the end of the reference period, and revised values are published after 85 days. EU-harmonised working-day adjusted and seasonally adjusted series and trend series have been compiled since spring 2005 and are available to 1996 backwards according to the new ÖNACE 2008. The exact dates can be found in the publication calendar (available in German only). Current figures are also published monthly in the Statistical Monitoring Reviews (available in German only), the ISIS database (available in German only), the STATAS statistical table system (available in German only), in the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber’s economic barometer for Austria (available in German only) and on the Eurostat website.

Definition

The EU-harmonised index of hours worked includes hours worked by white collar workers, blue collar workers and trainees (incl. employees on loan) while hours worked by home workers are not included.

In order to analyse and assess current short term indicators, users of short term statistics need not only information on production and trends in producer prices but also facts and figures about the labour market, which is one of the most important input factors in the economic process. Reference is therefore made to labour input indicators, which include the index of number of persons employed, the index of gross wages and salaries, and the index of hours worked. Recording the labour input indicators enables current economic developments (employment and volume of work) to be assessed, annual structural survey data (gross wages and salaries) to be forecast quickly, productivity to be evaluated, and the data to be used in the quarterly National Accounts.

Scope and representativity

The monthly Short Term Statistics Surveys in industries and construction provide the underlying data for the index of hours worked. Essentially, data from all Short Term Statistics Survey units is incorporated into the index calculation, with the result that the representativity of the indices calculated is predetermined by the scope of the Short Term Statistics Surveys. According to the principle of a concentration survey, the Surveys take account only of those establishments and enterprises in the industries and construction sector (ÖNACE Sections B to F) that have a minimum number of employees on a common survey date of the previous year (applicable to all months of the given year), respectively since reference year 2008 turnover exceed a certain threshold (as long as thresholds for employees did not reach representativity criteria). Since the base 2000 ÖNACE divisions with fluctuating employee numbers, respectively with fluctuating turnover (since reference year 2008), standardised and constant workforce limits for the index calculation and its homogenous progression have been defined in order to ensure stable observation masses. In case also adjustments of the base take place.

Implementation of the ÖNACE 2008

According to the revision of the new statistical classifications of economic activities within the “Operation 2007” and the amendment of the national short term statistic regulation a number of substantial adoptions to the monthly Short Term Statistics in industries and construction took place since the reference year 2008. These adoptions like new demarcation of the scope or taking into account the new thresholds since the reference period 01/2008 lead also to methodological changes for the calculation of the short term indicators. An article on this topic will be published in the “Statistischen Nachrichten” in 2009.

Time series from 1996 to 2004 of base 1995=100 and 2000=100 were reclassified according to the new statistical classifications of economic activities ÖNACE 2008 and rebased to the base 2005=100 for all breakdowns. From reference period January 2005 new calculations were made.

Calculation

The Laspeyres index concept is used for the calculation. To perform the calculation, index numbers are formed according to ÖNACE groups, divisions, sections and subsections as well as use categories by dividing the result for a particular month by the monthly average of the base year (currently 2005=100).

Adjustment for seasonal variation and working time makes it easier to interpret the time series by eliminating seasonal influences and standardising monthly figures regarding working days. Data is adjusted in accordance with EU-harmonised guidelines using the program X-12 RegARIMA. As a result of EU-harmonised adjustment, methodological factors may – with each new month under review – cause slight deviations in the entire time series for series that have been adjusted for seasonal variation and working time.

In accordance with the EU regulation concerning short term statistics, the short term indicators specified in the regulation are to be rebased every five years – i.e. in years ending with a 0 or a 5. Therefore the indicators were rebased in September 2007 using the new base year 2005=100.

Other methodological explanatory notes (available in German only)

• Statistische Nachrichten 02/2009: Austrian Statistical Classification of Activities-ÖNACE 2008
• Statistische Nachrichten 11/2007: Revision of STS-indicators - new base year 2005=100 (PDF 668KB)
• Statistische Nachrichten 10/2003, p. 776 ff.: Short term indicators in industries and construction: new base year 2000=100 (PDF 663KB)
• Statistische Nachrichten 10/1997, p. 866 ff.: New indices in industries – concepts and basic methodological principles
• Short term indicators 2000=100: production and services
• Short term indicators in industries and construction 1995=100, issue no. 1 315
• Short term statistics in industries and construction 2008 - Volume 1: Results at enterprise and establishment level, and indices