A recent online survey conducted by Statista+ for Spiegel reveals that over a third of employed people in Germany believe that personal effort and dedication at work generally do not pay off. Specifically, 39 percent of respondents stated that their effort is not rewarded, contrasting sharply with the 59 percent who are confident that hard work correlates with results. It is worth noting that individuals who are themselves performance-driven are more likely to believe in this relationship.
The survey, which polled 1,000 employed individuals, also indicated that many are willing to commit extra energy, but they often feel the conditions are not right. Forty-four percent reported being motivated to do more than officially expected; only about one-fifth are unwilling or unable to do so. The primary barrier to extra performance is a lack of appropriate compensation, cited by just under a quarter of respondents. Furthermore, approximately one-fifth cited insufficient appreciation, while another fifth pointed to detrimental impacts on quality of life or inadequate time for family and personal life.
When defining performance, the emphasis is predominantly on quality and diligence: more than two-thirds consider these factors crucial, and this number rises to 80 percent among those aged 55 to 65. Younger generations view performance more broadly, and they are less likely to consider quality the central criterion (only 51 percent among those aged 18 to 24). For younger workers, performance also encompasses additional training, supplementary tasks, and exceeding goals. There is also a noticeable high level of performance pressure, especially among young people; 42 percent of individuals under 34 reported experiencing frequent or strong pressure. Women, in particular, felt more strained than men. Forty-five percent of respondents named high workload-often due to staff shortages or cost-cutting measures-as the most significant cause of stress.
Regarding working hours, there is a clear desire for increased work-life balance. Two-thirds of respondents could imagine reducing their working hours, a figure rising to three-quarters among younger individuals. The main motivations cited are gaining more time for family, hobbies, and recovery, although caregiving responsibilities played a role only for a minority. Almost half advocate for the four-day work week as a sensible future model, while 41 percent prefer to remain on a five-day schedule. The most popular option is the traditional fixed five-day model (27 percent), closely followed by a four-day week with the same weekly hours (23 percent), and the reduced-hours variant (20 percent).
Laura Venz, an occupational and organizational psychologist at Leuphana University Lüneburg, interprets this skepticism toward performance not as laziness, but as a manifestation of frustration and a lack of effective experience. She warns that those who continue to frame reforms around the premise that people are “not doing enough” are likely to reinforce cynicism. Many people have experienced that extra work does not translate into a better life, especially in the context of inflation and ongoing crises. Venz also cautions against cramming a full-time role into four days; she maintains that an eight-hour workday is evidence-based, and lasting ten or more hours is unhealthy.
