Many working people in Germany would like to work less. According to a survey for the insurance company HDI, every second (48 percent) full-time employee would like to work part-time if the employer gave him the opportunity to do so. Employees under the age of 40 in particular would like to have shorter working hours. Three quarters of those surveyed (76 percent) advocated the four-day week – but only 14 percent of those surveyed would give up money. And 56 percent stated that they would quit work as soon as possible if they were not financially dependent on the job.
“According to the results of our study, young professionals in Germany in particular are vehemently striving for more freedom at work,” said Christopher Lohmann, Head of HDI Germany. “They want to have a say in where, when and how long they work.” Their ideas differed significantly from traditional work models. The Corona experiences would have obviously promoted these attitudes.
The statement “I would stop my professional work as soon as possible if I no longer needed it financially” was agreed by 56 percent of those surveyed – in the first HDI professions study in 2019 it was around a third. According to the information, the proportion of young professionals has risen significantly.
Both the client HDI and the Federal Employment Agency see the survey as evidence of the rapid change in the world of work: “It is not surprising that the requirements of companies as well as the expectations of employees of their working and everyday life are changing rapidly,” said Torsten Withake, head of the North Rhine-Westphalian regional office of the Federal Employment Agency.
Employees’ expectations are in contrast to the demands of the labor market. According to figures from the Institute for Labor Market and Occupational Research (IAB), there were 1.9 million vacancies in the second quarter of this year, more than at any time since the surveys began. The personnel situation in hospitals and care facilities is tense, but there are also many vacancies in the trades and IT industry.
Yougov surveyed 3,891 professionals aged 15 and over in June and July. Among other things, the agreement with the statement was asked: “I would stop my professional work as soon as possible if I no longer needed it financially.”
