Between 4-day week and 6-day marathon: The battle for the new world of work – Outlook on sessions from #ZukunftPersonal and #GreenMonday
In today’s rapidly evolving industrial landscape, companies face enormous challenges that require constant adaptation and development. These topics were discussed in detail in the latest episode of the podcast “Smarter Servicestalk”, which featured Professor Heiko Wenzel from the Wenzel Group. The Wenzel Group, a leading manufacturer of coordinate measuring machines, serves as a prime example of a medium-sized company that is successfully mastering the transition from traditional manufacturing processes to modern, digitalized operations.
Professor Wenzel, Chief Digital Officer (CDO) responsible for digitization in his company and also a university lecturer, spoke about key topics such as the 4-day week, automation and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). These discussions reflect the profound transformations that many medium-sized companies are currently undergoing. “Innovation, globalization and resilience are the key issues that concern us at the moment,” emphasized Wenzel. Resilience in particular, i.e. the ability of a company to react flexibly to unforeseen challenges, is more important today than ever before.
A highlight of this discussion will be the breakout session with Professor Wenzel at “Green Monday” on September 17 in Cologne. There he will delve deeper into the topics of sustainability and resilience and explain how companies can make their business models future-proof. This event promises valuable insights for medium-sized companies that have to face the challenges of a changing industry.
A new fire in the working time debate: Guido Zander and the future of working models
At the same time, Guido Zander, the master of working time management, sparked a new debate about working time models in the program “Zukunft Personal Nachgefragt”. In the interview, Zander pulled out all the stops and sharply criticized the superficial discussions about working time. “We finally have to get away from this one-dimensional hype. Four-day week here, six-day week there – it’s all just superficial nonsense,” Zander ranted. “Why not flexible models? Why not a working world that adapts to people’s real needs?”
Zander sees the debate about working hours through a clear filter. “The whole thing is a degressive story,” he explained. “From 40 to 36 hours – all well and good. But from 35 to 30? The productivity gain quickly turns into a loss.” But Zander doesn’t stop at picking things apart. He offers solutions that are practical and well thought out. “We need more freedom of choice,” he demanded. “Employees should be able to determine their own weekly working hours. That is the real game changer. No one-size-fits-all solution, but individually tailored models.”
His view of the current developments in Greece, where the six-day week has been made possible again, is clear: “It’s not about everyone having to work 48 hours a week now. It’s an option, a possibility. And the question remains: is it even being used?”
The economic and social aspects of working time organisation
Professor Achim Truger, a member of the German Federal Government’s Council of Economic Experts, brought an economic perspective into the discussion. He criticized the simple link between working hours and prosperity. “Longer working hours do not necessarily mean more prosperity,” said Truger. He pointed to the fact that many women want to work more – whether for their own social security or for self-fulfillment. At the same time, men, often the main earners, could reduce their working hours. This redistribution within households would not only distribute the workload more fairly, but would also make care work, which is still predominantly done by women, more equitable.
“We have to get away from the idea that people are lazy because they want to work less,” said Truger. He advocated accepting individual working time preferences. A more flexible, fairer and more humane working world could not only increase productivity, but also increase employee satisfaction. Truger’s approach combines the reduction of individual working hours with an increase in total working hours by proposing flexible models that meet both the needs of people and the demands of the economy.
Working time as quality and not just quantity
Vera Schneevoigt, an experienced manager and expert in digitalization and innovation, also commented on the current developments. “This claim that the younger generation is not working enough is ridiculous,” said Schneevoigt. She pointed out that the total number of working hours after the pandemic is higher than ever. For her, it is clear: the discussion about working hours is more important today than ever, especially because of demographic change and growing psychological stress.
Schneevoigt will present her new book “We Can Do the Future” on September 11th at Zukunft Personal Europe in Cologne, where she will speak about flexible working hours and the future of work in the trade fair TV studio next to the keynote stage. She sees flexible working hours not only as a response to the needs of employees, but also as an opportunity for employers to adapt to the new realities. In her opinion, flexible working time models are a key to meeting the challenges of our time.
A new look at prosperity
Instead of stubbornly clinging to a high gross domestic product (GDP), Truger calls for a new definition of prosperity. Good healthcare, affordable housing and reliable public transport are essential components of prosperity that can be achieved through a clever redistribution of working time.
The debate about working time is multifaceted and challenging. It forces us to think more deeply about the meaning of work in our lives and to develop new, more flexible models that take into account both the economic and social needs of our society. The future of the world of work depends on our ability to meet these challenges creatively and openly.
Session at Zukunft Personal Europe on this topic – small selection:
Working hours à la carte: Diverse working time models instead of one size fits all
Trouble at work – time wasters and cost drivers
The future of work in the age of demographic change and artificial intelligence
Working environments 2035 – How we will work in the future
