A recent study by the Institute of the German Economy (IW) has found that flexible work arrangements do not pose additional health risks for office employees, according to a report by the Welt am Sonntag. The analysis, based on data from the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, suggests that this is the case for both longer daily working hours and shorter breaks, as stipulated in the law.
The study, which covers the years 2017, 2019 and 2021, shows that there are no negative findings in terms of job satisfaction, exhaustion, or work capacity in cases of very long daily working hours. Similarly, the same applies to shorter breaks, such as taking a break during the day to complete tasks and then continuing work in the evening. The data does not extend to employees outside of office jobs.
At least for office employees, the statutory daily maximum working hour should be abolished, according to the study’s author, Oliver Stettes. “The public debate sometimes gives the impression that the flexibility is being misused as a Trojan horse for a de facto extension of working hours” Stettes said. “It’s not about increasing the contractual or actual weekly working hours.”
The trade unions, however, want to prevent an “attack on the working time law.” The government is trying to “legalize questionable business models” criticized Yasmin Fahimi, chair of the German Trade Union Federation (DGB). This would enable regular 12-hour shifts at sub-contractors in the package delivery sector or the lack of breaks in the hotel and catering industry. According to the coalition agreement between the CDU/CSU and SPD, the working hours are to be flexibilized “in line with the European Working Time Directive.” A change from a daily to a weekly maximum working hour is planned.