BDA AGENDA 21/2025 | TOPIC OF THE WEEK | October 16, 2025

Majority of employees support introduction of maximum weekly working hours

A recent Forsa survey commissioned by the Confederation of German Employers' Associations shows that two-thirds (66%) of employees are in favor of introducing a maximum weekly working time. Support is almost identical in eastern and western Germany and among men and women. It is noteworthy that even among union members, a majority (59%) are in favor of greater flexibility.

Only 27 percent are in favor of retaining the daily limit. This confirms the statement in the coalition agreement that employees also want more flexibility. And it underlines the broad social acceptance of a shift away from daily to weekly maximum working hours.

The weekly maximum working time offers decisive advantages for employees: it makes it easier to balance work and private life, for example by allowing them to work longer on some days and leave earlier on others. Especially in times when working from home and flexible working models are part of everyday business life, this adjustment is a logical step. It offers greater flexibility in terms of improving the work-life balance, as the coalition partners are striving to achieve.

For companies, the weekly maximum working time means above all the ability to react to specific situations. Many activities depend on external factors that cannot always be planned, such as material deliveries, machine downtime, customer requests, or external deadlines. In such situations, it is necessary to be able to react at short notice and extend working hours if necessary. Rigid daily limits often do not reflect the reality of business and hinder productivity. The ability to adjust working hours within a week as needed helps to ensure competitiveness and ultimately secure jobs.

This does not compromise occupational safety, as the contractually agreed working hours remain decisive. The switch to a weekly limit on working hours is not intended to encourage permanently excessive working hours. Overworking employees is not in the interests of companies, which depend on a motivated and stable workforce. Rather, the aim is to create greater flexibility in the distribution of working hours, which better meets the needs of both companies and employees.

The introduction of a maximum weekly working time is therefore a win-win situation for all sides: it strengthens the competitiveness of companies, increases employee satisfaction, and helps to make Germany a sustainable business location. This opportunity should not be missed. The social partner dialogue has been concluded. The ball is now in the court of the Federal Minister of Labor. She should now implement the coalition agreement without further hurdles.