Discover Germany, Switzerland & Austria
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Barbara Geier Column
Working people?
TEXT & PHOTOS: BARBARA GEIER
We’ve reached the end of the year and here goes
as Switzerland, life satisfaction is also high. I’ll
Well, whatever it may be, and never mind how
another myth: Thought Germans are an incredi-
leave that to the hard-working Swiss to confirm
many hours people work during their working
bly industrious people? Hm, maybe not. Accord-
or, indeed, contradict. Now, the authors of this
life or not, I hope you’ll find enough time in
ing to a study published by the Munich-based
study have pointed out themselves that the data
December to enjoy the festive season – have
Roman Herzog Institute this autumn, the work-
from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation
a wonderful ‘Adventszeit’ and a very merry
ing life in Germany is shorter than in any other
and Development (OECD) and the EU statistics
Christmas!
EU country, apart from Luxembourg.
agency Eurostat they used for their calculations for individual countries are only comparable to
In numbers: Germans clock up an estimated
a limited extent so that they results can only
52,662 hours of work during their lifetime, says
be estimates. And given the background of the
the analysis, in comparison to 57,342 hours on
Roman Herzog Institute, “lazy Germans“ work,
average in the 27 EU countries. The hardest
let’s just say, better for employers’ arguments in
working people are, apparently, to be found in
the current public discussion about the four-day
Estonia, with 71,331 hours of work until retire-
working week, a shortage of skilled labour and
ment. According to the study, the lifetime work-
calls for raising the retirement age.
ing hours in Germany correspond to a „very low“ amount of an estimated 1,340 hours worked per
But. But. Can I just say, from the perspective of
year. While Germany is ranked right at the bot-
someone living in the UK who works a lot with
tom of the „estimated working life per working
Germans, you certainly don’t get the impression
person in hours“ list, the country’s neighbour
of a very industrious nation: Try getting hold
Switzerland is up at no. 4 with 64,218 hours.
of someone working in Germany on a Friday
Which, from a German perspective, makes
afternoon – more often than not, that’s a case
sense, as being industrious – together with on
of ‘Fehlanzeige’. Or try contacting someone on
time – is certainly something we like to associ-
a Friday that follows on a Bank Holiday Thurs-
ate with Switzerland.
day. Same case of empty (home) office because taking a ‘Brückentag’ (bridge day) is a favour-
The chairman of the Roman Herzog Institute,
ite German way of getting a long weekend in.
which happens to be the think tank of the Ba-
Of course, it’s not about the number of hours
varian Business Association and employers' as-
worked, I can hear all those German employees
sociations of the Bavarian metal and electrical
say (and they’re certainly right): We’re just faster
industry, also stresses that surveys show that in
and more efficient, you know! No need to stay at
several countries with long working lives, such
work on a Friday afternoon!
Discover Germany Issue 112, December 2023
Editor Nane Steinhoff
Published 12.2023 ISSN 2051-7718
Assistant Editor Marilena Stracke
Published by Scan Magazine Ltd.
Copy-Editor Vera Winther
Print Stibo Complete
Graphic Designer Mercedes Moulia
Executive Editor Thomas Winther
Contributors Barbara Geier Cornelia Brelowski Marilena Stracke Silke Henkele
Creative Director Mads E. Petersen
114
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Issue 11 2
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December 2023
Cover Photo Mediaserver Hamburg / Christian Brandes Sales & Key Account Managers Julia Freisinger Lawinia Toth Sophie Blecha
Barbara Geier is a London-based freelance writer, translator and communications consultant. She is also the face behind www.germanyiswunderbar.com, a German travel and tourism guide and blog that was set up together with UK travel writer Andrew Eames in 2010.
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