In both years, full-time male employment represented the largest portion of the workforce, accounting for 53% in 1988 and slightly decreasing to 47% in 2012. Despite the decline in proportion, the actual number of full-time employed men increased from 12,539,000 to 13,794,000.
The number of full-time employed women grew significantly, from 4,482,000 in 1988 to 7,696,000 in 2012. Their share of the workforce increased from 19% to 26%, indicating a growing role of women in full-time jobs.
Part-time employment also saw changes. Part-time women increased from 5,268,000 (22%) to 5,979,000 (20%), showing a slight drop in percentage despite a numerical increase. Part-time male employment remained the smallest category in both years, though the number rose from 1,550,000 to 2,131,000.
Overall, the total workforce grew from 23.8 million in 1988 to 29.6 million in 2012. While full-time male employment declined in proportion, there was a clear increase in the number and proportion of women in full-time roles, reflecting a shift towards greater gender equality in the workplace.