Citing the ongoing economic crisis and the shortage of skilled workers, businessman Martin Herrenknecht is advocating for the reintroduction of the 40-hour week as the standard for employees across Germany. Speaking to the newspaper “Bild,” Herrenknecht argued that the premise of achieving the same level of prosperity with less work is flawed, given that Germany faces some of the highest labor and energy costs in the world. Therefore, according to him, the 40-hour week is essential, supplemented by tax incentives for employees who are willing to voluntarily work more.
The entrepreneur justified his push by emphasizing the need to maintain both national prosperity and competitiveness. He stated that Germany’s standard of living is driven not by “reduced working hours,” but by “performance, productivity, and people who are ready to take responsibility.”
As a successful model, Herrenknecht cited Switzerland, noting that the country demonstrates what is achievable. He pointed out that Swiss workers average 42 hours per week and work approximately 250 hours more annually than in Germany.
