German workers narrowly support shifting to a weekly limit on working hours, instead of a daily cap, according to a survey released on Monday.

The study, conducted by pollsters YouGov for dpa, found that 38% of respondents would support the policy, while 20% opposed it and 37% are neutral.

The proposal, included in the new German government’s coalition agreement, would replace the existing daily cap of eight hours with a weekly limit, aiming to allow greater flexibility in scheduling working hours.

Under the proposed change, employees could work longer hours on fewer days – for example, four 10-hour days instead of five eight-hour days.

Among supporters of the policy, 82% said the model offers more flexibility, such as enabling longer weekends. About 44% also see benefits for employers no longer bound by the eight-hour daily cap.

Critics fear reduced productivity and worker fatigue. Two-thirds of opponents say productivity would drop after eight hours and 61% worry extended shifts would strain employees.

When asked to choose between working four 10-hour days or five 8-hour days for the same pay, 37% preferred the four-day week, while 28% stuck with the current traditional model.

More than half of the opponents argued that they cannot stay productive beyond eight hours and around 40% expressed concerns over having less time for family and hobbies.

Source: dpa.com