Overview
- Germany’s CDU business wing withdrew the phrase “Lifestyle‑Teilzeit” from a planned party motion after internal pushback, reflecting sensitivity over the label.
- IAB figures for 2025 show part‑time employment at a record 39.9% and average weekly hours for part‑timers rising to 18.7, offering no evidence of declining effort.
- Personnel expert Philipp Riedel argues Germany faces an hours‑worked problem rather than a pure skills shortage and urges fixes to tax, benefits and bureaucracy so extra work pays.
- Riedel backs flexible full‑time, trust‑based hours and goal‑tied four‑day weeks, and warns that moral appeals risk driving away high performers.
- IAB researcher Enzo Weber rejects claims that Gen Z works less, noting the employment rate among 20‑ to 24‑year‑olds rose 4.9 points from 2015 to 2023 to reach 72%.