The results of the employee survey show that there is a wide gap between what employees want and reality. The majority of employees work longer hours than contractually agreed, and one in three would like to reduce their actual working hours. The vast majority—68 percent—would like a 35-hour workweek or shorter working hours. One in five wants to reduce their full-time hours to fewer than 35 hours. 82 percent support the option to temporarily reduce their working hours for child-rearing or caregiving.
According to Jörg Hofmann, the president of IG Metall, this shows that employees are clearly rejecting the employers’ mantra of “full-time plus overtime plus flexibility plus pressure to perform.” “These are not working hours that fit with life. Employees want more self-determination rather than having their working hours dictated by others,” says Hofmann.
Self-determination instead of external control
In short: Employees want a new standard for working hours that provides them with security, distributes working hours fairly, and enables them to shape their work and personal lives on their own terms. “The employees’ message is clear: They want working hours redistributed throughout their working lives. This new direction in working-time policy cannot be achieved by individuals or by individual works councils alone. Reliable collective bargaining agreements and legal regulations are necessary for this,” says Hofmann.
Working hours are a matter of fairness. Why? Because working hours determine how people participate in working life and can advance their careers. And because today’s prevailing working-hours standard distributes work unfairly. While some work to the point of exhaustion—in the evenings, on weekends—and cannot disconnect even on vacation, others’ working hours are not enough to make ends meet.
IG Metall refuses to accept these injustices. It asked employees:
- What are the working hours like at your workplace?
- How satisfied are you with them?
- What should be done within the company, in collective bargaining policy, and by lawmakers to ensure that working hours better align with life and the challenges of the digital workplace?
Working Hours: These Factors Lead to Satisfaction
The factors most strongly linked to satisfaction with working hours are the same everywhere. Employees who are satisfied with their working hours are more likely to have schedules that
- that match your own preferences in terms of length,
- that are predictable,
- that can be temporarily reduced, and
- these employees can also leave early or arrive later from time to time without much coordination.
Those who are dissatisfied with their work hours are more likely to have schedules that
- exceed 41 hours per week,
- often occur on weekends,
- cannot be planned, and
- constantly put employees under time pressure.
Those who have predictable, preferred work schedules and flexibility to accommodate their own needs are more satisfied—regardless of whether they work in production, purchasing, IT, or research and development.
In shift work, desired and actual working hours often match. However, regular weekend work and time pressure lead to dissatisfaction. Many shift workers complain that shifts are scheduled or canceled on short notice, making their working hours less predictable.
Those who frequently work remotely are generally satisfied with the predictability of their work hours and personal flexibility. However, long workweeks exceeding 41 hours lead to dissatisfaction—just as they do in research and development.
How Collective Bargaining Agreements Help
The employee survey also shows that where collective bargaining agreements are in place and works councils monitor working hours, employees are significantly more satisfied than in companies not covered by such agreements (76 percent compared to 50 percent).
IG Metall aims to align working time policies with the working world of tomorrow. The goal is to strike a new balance between external control and self-determination that is geared toward the interests of employees.
This involves issues of power that cannot be resolved by individuals or by individual works councils alone. Employees therefore rely on collective bargaining agreements and working time laws.
