Berlin – The state government and IG Metall are advocating for a uniform and concrete set of regulations to prevent mental health issues. At a joint event organized by the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Labor and the union, approximately 120 experts gathered in Berlin to discuss modern occupational health and safety 4.0.
The number of sick days due to mental health issues has risen dramatically. In less than 15 years (2001–2015), it increased by about 160 percent to 87 million lost workdays. Burnout and related conditions cause economic damage of about 17 billion euros per year. The digitalization of the workplace poses new challenges for occupational safety and health. “In a constantly changing world of work, we need occupational safety measures that keep pace. In the past, North Rhine-Westphalia has already fought passionately for the introduction of protective regulations against hazards posed by psychological stress. In doing so, we have advanced an important debate. We want to further develop traditional occupational safety into Occupational Safety and Health 4.0,” said Labor Minister Rainer Schmeltzer.
“The new research findings confirm once again: Mental stress at work can make people sick—both physically and mentally. The grand coalition has agreed to take further measures following a scientific review. Policymakers must now get down to business. The time for deliberation is over; the time for action has come,” said Hans-Jürgen Urban, executive board member of IG Metall.
Companies need binding guidelines for the effective implementation of their legal duty to prevent occupational hazards. The digitization of work underscores this demand once again: growing volumes of information, increasing work intensity, and the blurring of boundaries between work and personal life in terms of both space and time are exacerbating psychological work-related stress. “People are not machines—we need rules to protect their physical and mental health, especially in the world of Work 4.0,” said Urban. IG Metall is calling on policymakers to finally clarify when they will close the regulatory gap in the area of mental stress. “The scientifically sound foundation for an anti-stress regulation is already in place. Now it is up to the federal government to implement the declarations of intent from the coalition agreement,” said Urban.
Regarding the debate on a more flexible working hours law, Minister Schmeltzer stated: “Excessively long working hours have a negative impact on employees’ health. Furthermore, it is unacceptable for employees to be on call day and night via cell phone or laptop. Even in the digitalized world of work, there must be a right to ‘End of the Workday 4.0.’” Schmeltzer emphasized that the Working Hours Act, in its current version, already offers sufficient flexibility and scope for adaptation.
