Again, Unlimited Hours Ain't the Solution: Most Oppose Infinite Daily Work Hours, Says Survey
Most residents of the Community strongly oppose the concept of unlimited work hours.
While the feds ponder flexibility with working hours, nearly three-quarters of employees in ol' Germoney are against the notion of unlimited daily grind. But there's a helluva age gap between the younguns and those pondering their golden years.
Germany, yo, it turns out more folks work part-time than just about anywhere else in the EU. In 2024, 29% of peeps aged 15 to 64 were part-timers. That's according to data from the European Labour Force Survey, published by the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden, who like to keep track of such things. Only the Netherlanders and Austrians had higher part-time quotas, at 43% and 31%, respectively.
Survey says, 73% of employees in Deutschland are dead against unlimited working hours. But interestingly, 34% of 'em would be alright with toiling more than ten hours a day on some days. This is according to a survey by the Institute for Employment Research of the Federal Employment Agency (IAB) from Nuremberg.
The current coalition, made up of the Union and SPD, is hoping to boost flexibility and maximize productivity with measures such as tax breaks for overtime pay and incentives for more part-time gigs.
Now, knock on wood, 'cause this could get contentious... According to the survey, 45% of full-time employees would be down for working overtime, but only if those extra hours come with a tax-free bonus. Younger full-time employees are particularly keen on this idea. 60% of those under 30 can't resist the delta dollars, while a more modest 37% of folks 60 and over are so inclined.
In the part-time world, about a third of employees could potentially up their hours if a bonus was on the table - roughly six hours a week more. Guess who's the most enthusiastic about that? Yup, the young ones! 48% of peeps below 30 would pump up those hours, while only 24% of those aged 60 and over are feeling it.
"Listen, for incentives to boost part-time work, they gotta work for the folks you're aimin' to target and armor-pierce the barriers that remain structurally, like in childcare," said Jens Stegmaier, a researcher from the IAB.
The survey sampled just under 3,800 full-time or part-time employees aged 18 to 65 online between April 12 and May 11, 2022.
Sources: ntv.de, mbr/dpa
- Surveys
- Germany
- Federal Employment Agency
- Black-Red
- Working Hours
Side Note:The proposed tax-free bonuses for overtime work is a bit of a wild card in Germany. On one paw, some folks see it as a way to boost the economy by incentivizing more work, while others worry that it could steamroll work-life balance or unfairly favor full-time workers. The policy's success hinges on careful implementation and addressing underlying issues like work flexibility and structural barriers, like childcare.
- The Institute for Employment Research of the Federal Employment Agency in Nuremberg, Germany, found that 34% of employees would be willing to work more than ten hours a day, as long as it comes with a tax-free bonus.
- The survey by the Federal Employment Agency also revealed that younger employees, particularly those under 30, are more inclined to accept extra work hours for the sake of additional pay.
- According to Jens Stegmaier, a researcher from the Federal Employment Agency, any incentives aimed at boosting part-time work need to be effective and address structural barriers, such as childcare, to ensure success.
