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2d ago

Most German Employees Want Shorter Weeks, DGB Survey Finds

A new representative poll identifies employer practices, heavy workloads, low pay as the chief obstacles to matching hours with worker preferences.

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Lizzy, Metallbildner, arbeitet in der Skulpturengießerei Knaak an einem Rohguss für eine Trophäen für den Medienpreis «Goldene Henne». Die Verleihung wurde ursprünglich ins Leben gerufen, um ostdeutsche Künstlerinnen und Künstler zu würdigen. Inzwischen sehen die Veranstalter sie als gesamtdeutschen Publikumspreis an. Der Name erinnert an die DDR-Entertainerin H. Hahnemann, auch «Henne» genannt.
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Overview

  • The DGB-Index Gute Arbeit surveyed 4,018 employees by phone between January and May, finding 53% want fewer weekly hours, 40% are satisfied, and 7% want more.
  • Workers most often cited rigid work organization (63%), excessive workload (60%), and insufficient pay (59%) for why they work more than they would like.
  • Responses differed by gender, with 66% of women pointing to inadequate pay and 66% of men pointing to workplace organization as the key barrier.
  • Among those who want to work longer, 51% blamed workflows and 36% said supervisors refused requests to increase hours.
  • DGB chair Yasmin Fahimi argued that employer decisions, not the Working Time Act, drive the mismatch, noting around 2.5 million part-time workers would like more hours but are frequently turned down.