32.8 hours are enough
Desired working hours of Germans are falling drastically
03/11/2023, 09:20 am
A 38-hour week is no longer desirable for many. Because not only the younger generation wants to work less, but more and more people now. The desired working time has reached a record low in a survey.
People in Germany want working hours to be lower than they have ever been since the survey began in 1985. Even if they had to forego salary for shorter working hours, they only want to work an average of 32.8 hours a week, according to the German Institute for Economic research (DIW) determined for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper (FAS).
The figures refer to the youngest year available, 2020. Ten years earlier, the preferred working time was 34.4 hours per week. The figures come from the socio-economic panel, for which around 30,000 people are currently surveyed each year. According to the FAS, men of all ages want to work shorter and shorter hours, as do women up to the age of 59.
An exception are women over the age of 60: They want to work an average of 26.3 hours a week, which is close to a record high.
Studies give hope
Studies using examples with a four-day week show that the employees in the companies involved were usually more productive during the remaining working hours, sick days and layoffs decreased, as did the stress levels of the employees. This contributed to a better working atmosphere. At the same time, sales remained the same or even increased.
There are currently two million vacancies in German companies. By 2035 there could even be a shortage of seven million workers. The situation is exacerbated by the increasing number of people affected by burnout. In 2005, the AOK counted an average of 13.9 sick days per 1000 members due to a burnout diagnosis. In 2020 there were already an average of 141.8 AU days per 1000 members. In order to become more attractive for skilled workers, more and more companies – also in Germany – are opting for shorter working hours, be it eight hours on four days or six hours on five.