Can longer hours save Europe's economy? | DW News
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- As Greece launches a six-day work week, many in Germany are hoping for less time on the job. A four-day work week would make for a better work-life balance. But Germany can ill afford it, say critics. They think we might need to work more to get the economy back on track.
#germany #workweek #economy
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I follow a hospice nurse on RUclips. She says the thing she hears most from the dying, is the regret that they worked too much.
Modern companies want a limited amount of employees, (simply because of the expenses associated with it) and to squeeze them to death.
They simply do not care about the stresses of the bio-bot (you) they are paying for, they care about as much as they would if a machine they owned was maxing out, but still working and producing.
Dont let yourself fall into this trap, simply to chase $$.
Only a nationalistic fool would work more "for the country".
In the 1950s, a single working guy could support a wife and kids, maybe even buy a home on his salary working 40 hours a week. Now, decades later and with automation and mechanization unthinkable 70 years ago, we're told that we need to put in more hours each week? The fact that anyone buys into what the guy in the video is saying is honestly sad.
Who else is not surprised by an older and about-to-retire individual advocating for the younger generation to work more?
THIS
Well, but the opposite is also true, if left only to the younger generations they would slash working hours in half. 😂
Who is not surprised that you seriously think the retired has any say in this, this is pushed by big business and the ruling class.
Well he could hardly tell the older generation to work more could he?
@@jojo-pkfr THIS😂
You mean save the greedy billionaires?
Hooooly real
yes, without them we are nothing and vise versa I am sorry I was joking I don't care you get it? the joke? we all live in the matrix
tried to be funny didn t work be positive no be pessimist you get it? surviving mode we try to be funny where we can we all are in the gutter like Bukowski we are friends right?
tried to be friend not a jerk
@@cosminpopa8208 no my brother its just saving the rich and getting them richer stop it
The question is: Are you living to work, or working to live?
Working to live and I work 5 days for 8-9 hours. I get enough time to spend quality time with my family also.
Living to pretend to work. All a 6 week work week will result in is slower and more tired employees and a worsened labour shortage.
Well why talks days off, let's keep working 7 days a week, and call ourselves slaves... Wtf is Wrong with Europe now
Or call yourself Americans. Remember President Bush called needing 3 jobs to get by uniquely American.
Wow Europe is lazy! Here in Australia we work a minimum of 38 hours a week and employees are more then happy to work OT or the Saturday to get the extra time and half or double time into their pocket.
I could be because Europe is Browning and we all know what happens next...
@@darkdan3379 those new people work harder than the white ones?
@@redline3045sounds like you guys aren’t working that hard to begin with then😂
Is this a joke? We should be working 20 hour weeks by now. Unbelievably regressive thinking in this interview
35 hours never leads to burnout? On what planet does he live?
This guy is a piece of work! Maybe cut all the bonuses for the CEOs and do 32 hrs work week too. Why we the working class have to work more “productive” why don't have family and friends? This guy needs a really check!
Can longer hours save Europe's economy? NO.
Here in Nepal, we are required to work 8 hours a day and 6 days a week. Look where we are.
I don't think there's any data that suggests a production shortage due to fewer working hours. Europe values quality, and it should stick to that.
It’s more like someone in the world has to put in the hours, if someone from Europe is not contributing, someone from Nepal will
@@mdmfadrobots might get those jobs anyway when the company finally decides that they can sabe money that way.
Honestly Nepal has much bigger problems than 6 day work week.
Nepal is an under-developed basket case.
BS. Parents spending more time away from their children is anxiety inducing and psychologically detrimental for both parties. There is no way a society can move forward based on an over simplified labour supply and demand "calculation". Also, we are on the verge of losing up to 25% of jobs to AI, and working less hours is a way to compensate.
Work more of course, make more money for billionaires.
There is nothing wrong making money for the employer. As long as the employer compensates us well for the time at work.
Yeah, that is funny, I know...
@@nothereandthereanywhere compensating *well* may not be enough. If an employer makes 200% more money because of productivity gains, the vast majority of those gains are distributed to the C-Suite of the company & Shareholders instead of the actual workers. I think there should be a fairer split, which hasn't been a thing for 50 years by now.
@@AkiseAk I completely agree, don't get me wrong on that. That is why I have said they have to compensate us well.
4 hours a day has been proven to increase productivity, we don't need to work more we need to work *less*
💯
Sounds like you can be easily replaced. I know tons of Asians who would do your job better and not complain 5-6 days a week
modern slavery who gonna pay this
In all honesty, currently working 8 hours a day and I definitely can not keep up my concentration for the whole 8 hours, its just ridiculous. Working even more would just drain me more and I would not be able to do a quality job. Then there is another argument, if I was working for myself and had my own company then yes I would probably sacrifice more time for work but that's because I know that the upside is much greater then in this case. But for the average working man working one extra day a week won't really change your life, you will still be selling your time for money.
Young people can sacrifice their lifes to carry the sosiety and see nothing back from it. thats fair right?
You spelled far right wrong 😅
A FEW YEARS AGO THEY WANTED TO MAKE IT A 4 DAY WORK WEEK. NOW THEY WANT UA TO WORK 7.
I will work more, if that’s properly rewarded.
Every hour I work on top of the 40hrs week I want it to be tax free. That will motivate me to work more.
Burnout in nursing here in Germany is a nightmare. Im exhausted working short staffed in a nursing home. With no days off. Its a nightmare. Im an American that worked 12 hour days in a level 1 trauma centers emergency department and had 4 days off a week to recover. In germany im working like a dog for alot less money with no days off. 12 days in a row is rediculus. If my oma didn't need my help i would move right back to America
Where in Germany do live?
People have never worked as much as we do now since WW2, but we need to work more? Oke...
Tell me you can't find creative solutions without telling me you can't find creative solutions...
Every time extra hours will save an economy, as long as they are not my hours.
I seen four day work week work. The idea of working another day, yes more money but also more work
More hours more earning, but you need to figure out how to spend it so that it flows back to the economy. open shops during sundays, 52 additional days for people to spend.
My old dad would say don’t work harder work SMARTER….
99% of the comments against more hours or more day work.
I have hope again in our world❤
Kaynes predicted we would be working only 15 hours because of the increase in the productivity. Boy was he wrong 😞
Only working 15 hours, a day that is.
Taxing the rich can solve all problems. You don't wanna do that
No it can't. And inevitably the middle and poor class will suffer once they become the rich by default.
It's not about longer hours, it's about prices being too high which is to say that corporate execs are making too much money.
No. The prices being too high is due to government inflation and taxes.
@@shauncameron8390 In the first place, there is no such thing as "government" inflation, it's just inflation, and inflation's root cause is usually the unbridled greed/avarice of corporate America resulting in these corporations charging too much for life's essential products. As for federal taxes, we now routinely electronically generate we the peoples' $s in order to meet federal expenditures without any negative consequences, and without the need for there to be any federal taxation involved. In other words, our federal taxation system is as obsolete as it is totally unnecessary.
no. i work to live not the other way round.
I'm 31 and from the UK and I already do this. I worked on a refurbishment on a Harvester restaurant and the site was open 7 days a week. I worked 10 hours a day 6 days a week. I aimed for 7 days but had to take a day off. It was pretty easy. I rest on site whenever i needed to. I prefer working this way. You can choose to work less if you want to. But then you're gonna have to give up your car, wait longer for your holiday, and just have less disposable income.
Why not just make the systems more flexible and allow people to choose if they want to work 50, 40 or 30 hours a week?
definitely doesnt make sense to start working even more hours to enhance productivity.... Greece has been doing this since always and people actually work mostly 7 days per week during the high season.
No opening on Sundays for retailers. This policy is a major reason why we suffer economically. People work 5 days and realistically only have 1 day (Saturday) to do everything in Germany. Giving people the chance to spend money more freely would benefit everyone economically than any other change.
People who work in retail sure appreciate having the same day off to be with their families and friends.
@@soundscape26 Then why are only restaurants open. People who will want to work these days will choose these jobs. you don't have to choose for the people
@@MrN-e1p Restaurants are open so that everybody else can go out eat if they want. Doesn't mean every retail activity should close but there's not much of a valid reason to have most stores open on Sundays even more with the ever growing online shopping.
Exactly. We have this in Croatia. And works amazing. Put a lot of pressure out do your staff for home on one day week only.
@@soundscape26 why the double standard arent the restaurant workers people not human as well , don't they need the family moments. You argument make no sense.
Not sure what the point of this is! If someone wants to work more, give them the opportunity and the compensation for it… why force longer hours?!
I am earning enough money, why should I work longer hours? People working over 40 hours a week are at serious risk of suffering major depression from their 50s on, so they will need to get sick leave. Adding more hours seems just counterproductive, and there are several studies which back this.
Stop financing wars and conflicts around the world perhaps?
Nothing to do with the economy at large.
@@soundscape26 escalating international conflicts, rather than deescalating it, has nothing to do with economy at large? wow
@@nothingmoretocontribute1866 Which conflicts are Germany financing and what's the weight of that in Germany's budget? How is that affecting questions like demography and productivity?
@@soundscape26 Have you heard of nordstream? No effect, right?
Greece is a ridiculous country when talking about work ethics. They work more hours because they don't put any effort into making work more efficient and productive. I've worked 6 years in Athens and Greek colleagues were asking for overtime even when it wasn't necessary, only to show that they were hard workers, and resenting those who would accept an early leave having finished their work early.
I’d would work more hours if I were part of profit sharing (not just minor “bonuses”) and have a kind of vote/representation in the important decisions of the company.
Nice ideas. I would do the same.
Start your own business.
I work for my own benefit, not the European one.
Greece has a 10% unemployment rate. Making people work more isn't the problem, the problem is that companies aren't fully staffing their work force. Greece should improve recruitment and education and reduce regulatory and immigration hurdles so they have a workforce that is properly skilled for the positions needed.
I ask? The economy should be seen in the quality of life of their Children, Grandparents in the daily life of the workers. Or then why do we work and for whom. Just to make billions in profit for the Elite...
Europe has an aging society. FACT. Some places have no kids at all. They need immigrants and higher retirement age.
But the current model is just not sustainable.
In Sweden, which uses to be social democratic, its very hard to find examples when companies are investing into competence but everyone expect that served using people free time etc
8:30 He missed a key point in Germany: Time wasted on public transportation delays and over-crowded trains that forces people to take the next train. He is 100% a car driver himself.
Here in the US, our plant went to a 4 crew/ 12 shift rotation. in theory we should have never worked more than 48 hours a week. In practice because of worker shortages, 7 days/ 12 hours a day were common with some 16 hour days thrown in. Good news is we were union so the next contract we got a clause that we had to have one day off every 2 weeks.
what's wrong with 5, 8hrs days = 40hrs per week? anything over 8hrs overtime pay
It was a splendid dream. People are free in their choices, government provides a social net. So people, natuarally opted to have a child or two in their 30 and wait for their retirement.
Now, the chickens have come home to roost.
Its not a popular view, but he's right. The newer generations are halved.
And you can only automate so much, we've been service based for a long time.
Forget the money, forget the profits. Who's going to serve you coffee? Look at your sprained ancle? Regulate the traffic? Run a bus? Yes, you could have all this sent to you by mail, google the doctor, pay your bus ticket by card, but it's a sad state of affirs. We don't run like that, we're not machines.
There is NO reason for NOT adopting a 4 day work week with 10 hours for the first 3 days then 6-7 hours on thursday….2 extra hours is ok 👍
You know what also fixes this problem… raising the retirement age. We all know how the French took that 😂
Good journalist, pressuring and asking uncomfortable questions
For employers suddenly the laws of supply and demand don't work for the workforce
If only there were large amounts of foreign people arriving in search of work…
Lol, bro that's part of the reason why they want YOU to work MORE. To pay for that.
Yeah, it would benefit Germany if more people would come. But the journey can be dangerous and most people migrate within their nation of birth, so we will have to make do with what we have.
The 8 hour work limit is there for a reason and it's to prevent overexploitation. Let's not make a step back in this direction. What it may be necessary is to increase part time to 8 hours with better incentives - that is better pay.
i love this! telling people to work more instead of taxing wealth, amazing!
In the US I get a salary (below the average wage) and had been working 7 days a week for a few years. I took one week off per year. I have given up, and know there is no way to win. I have a home, but no hope for the future.
The 40 hrs method has always worked and the 4 days working week is on the rise. To add the 6 days working week would be a syncronization of the european market to the american one where companies have the power to fire you just because you sneeze the wrong way. European governments and unions know that promoting an american way would cause a revolution as the 40 hrs work week is so ingrained in the lifestyle and no sane worker would be willing to work 60 hrs apart the rare workaholic. Apart that, you need to ask a young worker about that and not an old manager who probably has an high salary and is near retirement and does not work 40 hrs most probably.
We have had people come here to the US thinking that things are easy. No way! They are startled that they have to work hard.
As a medical doctor who has to work more than 40 hours per week, I can say that this is a horrible idea since it requires cutting time spent with your family to work that much. How do you expect people to decide to have kids if both parents are required to spend all their time at work? How will the kids be taken care of? And who will pay for our retirement when the time comes?
Long hours working won't help the economy at all, but efficiency hours will. Say for example, the task or KPI for each employee is so diversified or easily achievable which may only require 2 hrs a day to achieve the task, that is why you see so many smoking times, coffee times, etc. So if these look-relaxing employees but also KPI achievers, perhaps they can take more tasks. Just lift from 2hrs to 4hrs a day, the productivity might be doubled and perhaps more. That is just not limited to humans but also machinery, process, technology, applications, creativity as well. a smart employee always finds a way of working less but maximize free time or income.
There is nothing wrong with our economy. We just need more houses to live in.
Man, I am so happy that I do not have to work for him :D and I hope that I do not have to.
They want less workers, less benefits, less paperwork.
Changing government is an easier and better option
In the us i work 4x10hr. Pretty nice schedule
Doesn't skilled labor working more mean higher youth unemployment? When are we going to get our turn?
This is a short term thinking to raise productivity. Better way is to create a friendly pricing for affordable housing in order to create more workers and this will increase productivity immensely. Funny when Germany kind is the third richest country in the world now.
Not sure if working more is the answer to increase productivity. Has anyone seen a correlation if more spare time leads to actually people spending more money for services and goods, thus increasing profits? Some elephants in the room are also not addressed: Parents which are able to work are staying at home and are caretakers for kids or relatives, taking them out of the market or making them unproductive either due to incovenient schedules. Why not go to basics and look WHY people actually look for more free time or shorter working hours?
regarding the "family owned" business "not getting the right people in the right jobs" ... um .. doesnt sound like its a family business anymore. let the FAMILY work 22 hours a day if they want to. but that should have no effect on me working as little as i want to and still be treated as human.
Focus on productivity and not just duration of being in the office.
If people want to work more then let them, but don't force everbody to do the same. I hope that at least they pay more as an incentive.
Guys, just do the bare minimum nothing more. There is no reward for high performer, you will just have more work but no salary increase
It is all about money, if paid well no problem working 100hrs per week. No taxes on all work done above 35hrs per week and everyone would join in in my opinion
This is ridiculous. Productivity goes up year after year, yet we need to work increasingly more? What's all this tech, machinery and "AI" we've been developing for?
Working 5 hours a day seven days a week is ridiculous. A four day work week. Working 8.75 hours is better for work/life balance. However, at this juncture we need to be looking at UBI as technology is making the human being obsolete.
This isn't a bad thing. Time into other hobbies or projects can be just as innovative. Look at Apple, started as a hobby in parents garage. Amazon, another garage project. Literature, art, music, that can finally come to fruition instead of being repressed by big corporate interests.
Society needs to restructure to what is best for the human being and environment that sustains and not profit for the few no matter the cost to human beings and the resources being stripped at a rate that it can't sustain human life comfortably any longer.
In my work experience,I have never ever had a job with less hours and reach the target within the shorter hours. I was always working overtime until the night and saturdays. It felt like life of a batman. From the darkness of the morning until the darkness of the night.
German Economy has a massive potential to turn around owing to the fact that it is very well poised Current Account Surplus, huge scope of business & location(Europe). But for that, Germans need to make some unusually tough decisions on immigration & working Visa policies. It will have to have very stringent illegal immigration rules(like Denmark) & simultaneously very friendly working visa policies for countries like INDIA where working nearly 70 hours a week is normal, in case Germany wants to compete with China!
Bulgarians have been working 6-7 day week ever since 1991 and we are still the poorest and most corrupt country in the whole EU.
When we should be working less... 🤦♂️
Isnt it widely known that humans cant concentrate on one task for 8 hours let alone more? They want to warm chairs and call it productivity. I work a 9 to 5 and i am very realistic with myself as to how productive I am during those 8 hours. My employer is lucky if I am productive 5 hours. 4 hours is my productive amount and am already having very negative thoughts towards the end of the 4th hour. I am working on building my own business because I realize that as long as i work for someone else, i will always be concerned about getting fired for "not being productive enough".
If germany wants more workers, it should increase the public sector efficiency.
Which only means higher taxes and less take-home pay.
We, the workers, don't need to work longer.
The companies need we to work longer, so does the government, so do the retired, but we? We don't.
Let them work longer if they want
“We failed at digitalisation and slept on our laurels, make the working class pay for our lack of competence and innovation”
No thanks. No amount of money will convince me to work more hours.
I have an idea to make people work more! They should buy all the housing, raise prices, and people won't have any other choice than working! Genius... I'm sure no one ever thought about that before.
it is no case of math, it is psychology sociology, and ethics.
Increase hours, increase retirement age, make degrees more like apprenticeships (where they do valuable work as soon as possible)
It all depends on the job. As for reducing burnout, what we need is not more or less hour, it's the pressure to be more productive that needs to be reduced, that's why 4 days a week works for some jobs, it gives people time to rest, and think about or do something else.
Nope, the Caucasian needs more time in pub and bars
How about making it easier to dismiss underperforming employees?
Europe is adopting the American work life. Sad but it what it takes these days.
Summary: this guy is delusional. Burnout rates in Germany are already high, and on the rise. The statistics he cited are falsified by overtime not being reported, for instance.
It's only specific professions (industrial jobs I believe) that have a 35 hour work week--officially. What goes on behind the scenes is a different story though.
Many companies are also exploiting their employees. Instead of hiring more employees, they double the work load.
I can honestly say that I've never worked as much in the US as I have since moving to Germany, which is telling.
Stuff it dude and get a life, and stop trying to sell bs which for many employees is not the reality.
Hi American here you should all be more like us. We here simply work for near poverty wages while the majority of the money flows into a stock market that does nothing to help employees or Americans in general.
But yes be an American work 5-6 maybe even 7 days a week for a paycheck that might cover rent and food. If you're really lucky you might even get medical insurance. Where you can pay the Dr whatever insurance doesn't cover.
Don't get too crazy you gotta save for when you get to your 70s and move into your Walmart greeter phase.
I'm incredibly lucky compared to my friends and family. I have decent insurance that actually helps pay for a dental filing and makes my glasses only cost $100. I have actually been able to save and traveled to Europe once. I probably sacrificed my retirement but I'm betting I never get old enough to need it anyways
But yes the secret to success is to grind yourself to the bone so someone else owns 3 houses and tells you those immigrants are the problem not them.
I wonder if this gentleman is doing this interview during working hours...
Somebody told him that the population actually grew / migration exists?
I mean thats only 1 hole in his logic. So many more...
I love it how he can't afford A/C and has a fan running in the background
I complete my 40 hour software eng job in about 10 hours every week lol, and this guy thinks making me work 50 hour (on paper) is going to make us richer?
Unfortunately we are being overworked but it's mostly a personal choice for most of us who want to make sure it gets done...
Der Staat besteuert Überstunden sehr hoch.......
Look at Japan work ethic life style result.Thank you
No, working more won't fix your economy. Trust me.