What’s going on:
A new study conducted by Forsa Polling Institute shows that the majority of those living in Germany believe that introducing a four-day work week with full pay doesn’t make sense, according to DW.
The survey shed light on a wide spectrum of opinions among supporters of various German political parties. The environmentally conscious Green Party supporters seemed to be the most enthusiastic about the prospect of a four-day workweek, with a whopping 69% in favor and only 29% against. On the other hand, the left-of-center Social Democrats (SPD) were mostly against it, with the study finding that only 43% expressed their support of the reimagined work schedule and 53% being opposed to the idea. But it was the Free Democrats (FDP) who showed the most resistance to this idea. A staggering 76% of their supporters were averse to the thought of shortening the workweek by one day, while only 25% were in favor of the idea.
The concept of the shorter work week in Germany is being pushed by the country’s largest trade union IG Metall, according to Euronews.next.
Why it matters:
The concept of a 4-day work week is being experimented with by businesses in countries around the world. Countries like Belgium, Iceland, Ireland, Scotland and New Zealand have already seen large businesses conduct trial runs with an updated plan. Additionally, many countries have laws in place to shield workers from burnout, or excessive work hours.
How it’ll impact the future:
If most German businesses were to adopt a 4-day work week, Germany could influence other European countries as one of the major economic players on the continent. However, public sentiment in Germany does not seem to be in favor of a paradigm shift of that magnitude. Many of those surveyed cited concerns that businesses might face financial challenges. Germany hesitating could indicate that major commerce centers in Europe aren’t yet ready to cut the work week by a day.
