Germany trials the four-day workweek: “Free time is invaluable”
In February, over 30 German companies began trialing the four-day workweek for six months with over 1,000 employees taking part. The initiative has been led by the NGO 4 Day Week Global and the HR consultancy firm Intraprenör in partnership with the University of Münster. The largest European experiment of its kind, the trial has reached its halfway point, and learnings are emerging.
“I’ve always been a sci-fi fan. When I was a kid, I would watch Captain Kirk commandeering a spaceship. We often talk about the technical aspect of sci-fi, but it also describes the social progress that needs to be achieved.” Tom Jaeger, CEO of Jaeger Orthopedics, is as enthusiastic about Star Trek as he is about the prosthetics manufactured by his company, which has a workforce of over 30 employees.
However, lying behind all this enthusiasm is a crude reality: hiring in his sector is difficult, especially when it comes to technical positions such as engineers and supervisors. “For four or five years now, my job postings haven’t received any applications. We have to constantly work with schools to sell ourselves as employers,” says Jaeger.
