The currently discussed four-day working week would also be well received by German employees. Some 81 percent of full-time workers want this with correspondingly reduced weekly working hours, according to a survey Monday.
Almost 73 percent indicate that they only want a reduction in working hours if wages remain the same. 17 percent of the respondents reject a four-day work week, two percent have already divided their full-time job over four days.
People want more time for themselves
Those who want a four-day working week want more time for themselves (97 percent) and for their family (89 percent). 87 percent of those surveyed would like more time for hobbies, sports and volunteering. The researchers explained that a four-day work week could also help to strengthen civil society involvement.
31% want to work less because of health problems
About 75 percent of the respondents would like to reduce their workload. Nearly 31 percent of full-time employees want to work fewer hours due to health problems.
That speaks against a four-day work week
According to the research, those who reject a four-day work week on principle often feel that nothing would change in their work processes or that the work could not be done in a shorter time. About 86 percent of those who are not in favor of a four-day working week do not want to work less because they enjoy their work. According to their own estimation, about 69 percent of this group cannot just let their work rest for a day. Others reject a four-day work week because they often have to replace colleagues, and about a third of those who oppose a four-day work week feel that short-time work will not bring professional progress.
Four-day work week with the same salary
According to the research institute, the fact that the vast majority of full-time employees would like a four-day working week with the same wages is not a fundamental obstacle to a reduction in working hours. Previous research indicates that employees are more productive with a four-day work week, which allows compensation of wages to be compensated: “An improvement in subjective time autonomy, as an important aspect of employer attractiveness, also represents added value in the recruitment of skilled workers.”
For the research of the WSI Institute of the Hans Böckler Foundation, which is close to the trade union, 2575 employees who owe social security contributions in Germany were questioned.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
