According to a report by Bild on Sunday, a recent study from the German Economic Institute (IW) shows that the annual average working hours for German workers (ages 15-64) is approximately 1036 hours, placing them third lowest in comparison to most OECD countries, only ahead of the French (around 1027 hours) and the Belgians (1021 hours).

The countries with the highest working hours include New Zealand (1402 hours), followed by the Czech Republic (1326 hours) and Israel (1312 hours). Despite this, the working hours for Germans in 2023 have increased compared to a decade ago, when the average was around 1013 hours in 2013.

Author Holger Schäfer stated in an interview that while working hours have decreased compared to the 1970s, they have generally increased since the reunification of Germany. He also noted that the potential of the German labor force has not been fully utilized.

The study suggests that if the government wants to encourage longer working hours, it needs to abolish policies that incentivize early retirement, such as the 63-year retirement age. Federal Chancellor Merz recently initiated a debate about work hours, calling for significant efforts and increased productivity. The discussion also includes controversial proposals from the business sector, such as canceling public holidays. Federal Labor Minister Bärbel Bas emphasized the necessity of providing better working conditions to enhance employment opportunities for women.