three quarters of employees want to decide for themselves when they work

Press Release
Survey on the eight-hour working day in Germany: three quarters of employees want to decide for themselves when they work

• New survey reveals: 73% of respondents would be prepared to work more than eight hours a day if they could work less on other days.
• Three out of four respondents believe that those who determine their own working hours work more productively.
• The reality is different: Only 20% are currently able to organise their working hours completely freely.

DÜSSELDORF, 15. Mai 2025 — Following chancellor Friedrich Merz's speech on May 14, the debate about the eight-hour workday is in full swing. The job platform Stepstone conducted a new survey with YouGov in Germany, to find out what kind of working hours people prefer. Almost three-quarters of employees (73%) said they'd be willing to work more hours per day if they could work fewer hours on other days of the week.

More than one in two (54%) would like to be able to organise their weekly working hours flexibly and at their own discretion. Just under a third (30%) would prefer longer working days if additional days off were possible in return. Shorter working days, but stretched over a six-day working week, are only an option for 7%. "The results prove once again that people are not interested in working less, but rather in having the freedom to decide when they work," says Dr. Tobias Zimmermann, labor market expert at Stepstone. 

Three quarters (75%) of those surveyed are convinced that they would be more productive if they could organise their working hours freely. Zimmermann is convinced that not only employees would benefit from this: "Flexible working time models are a real wild card in times of labour shortages. Part-time and flexitime models can, for example, make it easier for parents to (re)enter working life and thus help to create a more efficient and fairer labor market for everyone.”

Working time flexibility often still a privilege
Despite the strong support for more flexible working hours, the survey makes it clear that the reality is often different. According to the survey, the classic 5-day week full-time is still the dominant standard for 81%. Although many employees consider other working time models to be feasible in principle, they are often still the exception in practice. For example, only 18% of those surveyed currently are offered a 4-day week as full-time employees, although 42% of those surveyed consider this to be theoretically feasible in their job. Flexitime is currently available to 37%, and trust-based working hours to only 20% of respondents. Here, too, many respondents believe that such models would be possible in theory.

"There is a great desire for more flexible working hours – but of course they cannot be introduced everywhere at the push of a button. Depending on the industry, team structure or customer contact, it takes time to establish suitable solutions. It is important that companies enter a dialogue with their teams. Why not look for pragmatic and creative solutions together?” says Zimmermann. 

Time gained flows primarily into private life
Working more flexibly does not mean working less. The survey shows that the freedom created by the new division of working hours benefits the work-life balance. For example, 55% say that more flexible working hours would allow them to spend more time with friends and family, pursue hobbies or sports (46%), or catch up on errands or household chores (45%). Recreation is also high on the list at 39%. "It's not about working less - it's about working more consciously. Those who are able to organise their working hours to suit the reality of their own lives often come to work more relaxed, motivated and focused", says Zimmermann. "A real lever - for employees and companies alike.”


About the survey
The data for this study is based on online interviews with members of the YouGov panel who agreed to participate in advance. For this survey, a total of 1,117 employees were interviewed between 22 and 24 April 2025.

About The Stepstone Group 
The Stepstone Group is a leading global digital recruitment platform that connects companies with the right talent and helps people find the right job. AI-driven job marketplaces and programmatic-powered marketing solutions connect about 140 million job applications with more than 130,000 employers every year. In 2024, The Stepstone Group generated revenue of over €900 million. The Stepstone Group operates in more than 30 countries - including Stepstone in Germany, Appcast in the USA and Totaljobs in the UK. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany and employs more than 3,000 people worldwide. For more information: www.thestepstonegroup.com/english

Contact
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