How to work less and do more: the experience of people in Germany

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

We all want to work less and do more. But how can this be achieved? The answer to this question is quite simple and lies on the surface. In order to be convinced of this, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with how the working day in Germany goes.

Germany is the industrial center of Europe and a leading manufacturer of goods for export to developing Asian countries. Many people know firsthand about the high quality of German technology.

At the same time, it is known that in Germany people work less than in most other countries (on average 35 hours per week). So how do the Germans manage to achieve such excellent results?

Working hours = hours when you actually work

The German business culture dictates the following: if an employee is at work, he should not do anything other than his job duties. This means no social networks, no gossip with colleagues and, of course, the good old "I pretend to be very busy, but in fact I am not doing anything useful."

The absence of extraneous activities during work is considered the norm in Germany, deviations from which are perceived extremely negatively.

In the BBC documentary "", a German woman recounts the culture shock she experienced when she came to the UK for a work exchange:

Employees constantly talk about their personal lives during business hours. They find out who has what plans for the evening and constantly go to drink coffee.

The woman was very surprised at how much time employees spend on social networks. In Germany, access to Facebook in workplaces is generally prohibited, and it is also not allowed to correspond by e-mail on topics not related to work.

Working conversations and meetings are always focused

The Germans pay special attention to personal meetings. They do not beat around the bush, but immediately talk about what they need. In Germany you will not be told, "It would be great if you sent me the material tomorrow at 15:00." Instead, you will hear: "I need the material tomorrow at 15:00." Outside conversations at business meetings are also not welcome.

When the Germans are at work, they are focused and attentive to the little things. This leads to an increase in labor productivity in a shorter period of time.

German life is not limited to work

The Germans work hard, but they do not forget to have a good rest. Since they work hard during the working day to achieve their goals, they rest during non-working hours and do not think about work plans.

The government is thinking about doing after hours.

Since at work, Germans often have formal relationships not only with management, but also with colleagues, employees rarely get together after work. They are generally accustomed to clearly distinguishing between work and personal life.

In order to usefully spend their free time, Vereins (clubs of interest) are organized in Germany: tourist, music, sports. Thus, the Germans spend their free time not in front of the TV, but communicating with interesting people.

In Germany, employees are granted long paid holidays: from 25 to 30 days. This means that employees of the company, together with their families, can arrange for themselves a good rest, for example, go on a trip.

Maternity leave

Germany has paid maternity and childcare leave. In the USA, for example, one can only dream of such conditions. But besides the pluses, there are also disadvantages: employers try to avoid hiring women for work, although the government is actively fighting this negative trend.

Germany can be safely called one of the best European countries in terms of material assistance to parents.

Remember: if you are focused on results, then at work you should think exclusively about work affairs.

Yes, sometimes we really want to chat with colleagues or sit on social networks during working hours … But, as we see, sometimes it is possible to work less, but at the same time better, more interested, which means that we can do more in less time. Do you agree or have your opinion on this matter?