Survey Reveals Germans' Attitudes Toward Increased Work Hours

Berlin - The weekly working hours in Germany are set to become more flexible, with discussions surrounding the potential elimination of the traditional eight-hour workday. The plans proposed by the coalition government of the CDU and SPD have sparked significant debate.

The Chancellor has been advocating for Germans to embrace longer working hours as a means to sustain the nation's prosperity. He argues that productivity is essential for maintaining both wealth and the effectiveness of social security systems. CDU General Secretary has echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need to reassess our approach to work-life balance. He suggests that the current focus may have shifted from maintaining a balance to simply prolonging leisure time.

Amidst these discussions, a recent INSA survey indicates that a majority of Germans are open to working longer hours. The results show that 63% of respondents would consider increasing their weekly working time, while only 22% expressed a willingness to delay retirement by a year instead.

This perspective appears to be consistent across various political affiliations, with support ranging from 61% to 71% among voters from parties including the CDU and the Greens. Interestingly, those affiliated with the SPD appear to be the most supportive of extending working hours, whereas supporters of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance show the least enthusiasm.

The Chancellor has stated that adopting a four-day workweek would not be a feasible solution for maintaining the country's prosperity. This raises the question of whether the German workforce is becoming increasingly complacent or if there is a genuine need to reconsider the amount of work expected from employees.

While many citizens seem willing to take on additional work, there is notable opposition from labor unions, which are concerned about the implications for the established eight-hour workday currently enshrined in labor law. Presently, working hours exceeding ten hours are permitted only in exceptional circumstances. However, changes proposed by the new coalition could lead to a shift from a fixed daily limit to a weekly cap on working hours.

The General Secretary of the CDU has stressed the importance of rethinking our approach to work, suggesting that the dynamics of the labor market need to be reassessed in light of current economic challenges.