Barometer Shows Employers serve as main barrier for adaptable work arrangements

In a statement made on the 7th of September 2025, Yasmin Fahimi, chairperson of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), highlighted the importance of efficiency over extended working hours for increased productivity. The findings were part of the DGB-Index Gute Arbeit 2025 survey, conducted between January and May of the same year, which interviewed 4,018 employees by phone.

According to the survey, more than half (53%) of the employees expressed a desire to reduce their working hours. This desire increases with longer actual working hours, with 80% of employees working more than 40 hours per week expressing a desire to cut back. The average weekly working hours in Germany, as per the survey, stand at 36.3 hours.

Yasmin Fahimi pointed out that employees in Germany have been working in the "red zone" for a long time. She criticised employers' associations for wanting to change the Working Hours Act to abolish the 8-hour day, stating that the problem with designing working hours often lies with the employers themselves.

Operational structures and employer rejection, not the Working Hours Act, are the primary obstacles preventing employees from working longer hours. A significant 51% of employees cited rigid operational processes as a barrier, while 40% cited supervisor rejection.

In her proposal, Yasmin Fahimi suggested that employers should offer more flexible options instead of longer working hours. She also advocated for part-time workers who wish to work more to be allowed to do so. However, around 2.5 million employees in part-time jobs are unable to work more due to supervisor rejection.

Lack of positions (31%) and insufficient childcare (29%) are also barriers to working longer hours for some employees. Notably, men in Germany work significantly longer hours than women, with an average of 39.9 hours for men and 32.3 hours for women.

The DGB-Index Gute Arbeit 2025 survey was reported in early 2025, with related press releases dating from January and February 2025. The photo accompanying this article is of Yasmin Fahimi, credited to DGB.

Yasmin Fahimi's statement emphasises the need for employers to consider alternative solutions to longer working hours for increased productivity. The survey results underscore the desire among employees for a better work-life balance, with many expressing a desire to reduce their working hours.