Status: 12.01.2024, 19:14 PM
By: Bjarne Kommnick
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The desire for a 4-day week is getting bigger and bigger. But in view of the German economic situation, an entrepreneur is now calling for a different path.
Kassel – The 40-hour week is pushing many employees to their limits. That's why the call for a four-day week is getting louder and louder. In many countries, there is a debate as to whether fewer working hours make sense. For entrepreneur Sven Schmidt, this is the wrong approach. In an interview, Schmidt, who is also well-known in the German podcast scene, explains what he would suggest instead.
Entrepreneur demands: Anyone who works more than 40 hours should not have to pay taxes
Schmidt is Managing Director of Marketing and Sales at Maschinensucher.de. He noted that shorter working weeks are becoming more and more important. "Part-time work is definitely in increasing demand for us as well. This shows a preference for more private life and the desire for a four-day week with fewer working hours," he said focus.de. But for the entrepreneur, this could "possibly also reflect a lower level of resilience". Just recently, a Gen Z influencer complained about the 8-hour day at work in general.
When it comes to working hours, opinions are divided. An entrepreneur has a revolutionary idea. (Symbolic image) © Westend61/Imago
For this, Schmidt has a "provocative thesis", as he told the news portal. He believes "that the resilience of the younger generation has decreased compared to older generations." Accordingly, the post-war generation would have had no choice but to work hard to rebuild Germany. "Today's generation has grown up in prosperity and takes it for granted," says Schmidt. Overall, it seems that many young people are frustrated in their working lives.
Entrepreneur calls for tax-free overtime instead of four-day week
The desire for less work is more likely to be driven by social trends, "because people want to pursue hobbies or are looking for a certain self-fulfillment. Every generation is shaped by its time." But Schmidt, who is a self-confessed fan of working in the office instead of working from home, does not rule out the part-time demands of his applicants. "We find solutions for these wishes if the employee meets our requirements," says Schmidt.
Nevertheless, he called for a fundamentally different approach to increase the motivation of employees: "We should not talk about the four-day week. We should talk about the fact that you don't have to pay taxes and duties on overtime over 40 hours." In doing so, he proceeds according to the principle "performance must be worthwhile, additional work must be worthwhile". In addition, Schmidt questioned how sensible it would be to increase the citizens' allowance, which would lead "in some areas to a combination of citizens' money and undeclared work". "The wrong incentive is being set," the entrepreneur suspected. Some employees would even give up their jobs because of citizens' benefits.
"Prosperity is melting continuously": Entrepreneur warns of shrinking economic power
The reason for Schmidt's stance also seems to be the current development of Germany's economic power. Schmidt explained: "The decline in industrial production and an estimated gross national product of minus 0.4 percent raise questions." That's why alarm bells are ringing for Schmidt: "Our prosperity is melting continuously, it's happening gradually. That's the danger. If it happened by leaps and bounds, people would notice it immediately."
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If those who work become more and more burdened, Schmidt fears that top performers will leave the country: "If the state then has to redistribute more because the top performers are gone, a vicious circle will arise." He sees the role of the state in conveying to the population "that if we work less and less productively, do not extract raw materials and continue to increase the state quota, we will become a second-world country." (bk)