The federal government wants to significantly restructure working hours in Germany. However, this may not only bring advantages, as critics say. Because the workload per employee is unlikely to decrease as a result.
Europe has been discussing the 4-day week for some time. Iceland has conducted successful trials regarding the 4-day week and other European countries are open to the idea.
What does it look like in Germany? Merz explained in front of managers and businesspeople (via Welt.de), “With a four-day week and work-life balance, we will not be able to maintain the prosperity of our country.” More and more efficient work is needed, demanding more work from Germans.
We have had an 8-hour workday since 1918. But this principle is now being shaken by the new federal government under Chancellor Merz. They want to move away from the 8-hour day to a weekly working time, thereby paving the way for a 4-day week in Germany.
However, there is a significant catch. A 4-day week would ultimately lead to longer working hours per day and possibly a higher daily burden on individuals.
4 instead of 5 days, but with the same workload per employee
What does the federal government want? In the coalition agreement of the black-red government alliance, it says that employees and companies desire more flexibility (via rnd.de).
Therefore, we want to create the option of a weekly instead of a daily maximum working time in line with the European Working Time Directive – also and especially in the interest of a better work-life balance.
This means they also want to move away from the 5-day workweek. Currently, employees in Germany are allowed to work 8, at most 10 hours per day, and 10 hours only in exceptional cases.
What is the catch here? The introduction of a weekly working time could mean that instead of five eight-hour days a week, one works four ten-hour days. The catch is that the total working time in the week does not actually decrease.
Opponents of the weekly working time also believe that employees could be more burdened by longer daily working hours. Proponents of the 8-hour day additionally state that they cannot work concentrated and productively for more than eight hours.
What do employees demand? Many employees have long since stopped demanding a 4-day week, but want much more flexible working hours that allow them to better plan their lives, to manage things like raising children and household more effectively.
A young boss explains that employees must work 80 hours a week in his company. However, this is met with little positive response. He himself defends: As a start-up, they have to face strong competition against which they must prevail: The 22-year-old boss of a company demands 80 hours per week from his employees: “We do not offer a work-life balance”
