German Finance Minister Rejects Four-Day Work Week as Path to Prosperity

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner has dismissed the idea of a four-day work week with full pay becoming the norm in Germany. Speaking at a policy event in Lucerne, Switzerland, Lindner stated that working less does not lead to increased prosperity. He argued that throughout history, societies have not achieved greater prosperity by reducing working hours. This comes as the concept of shortened work weeks gained popularity during the pandemic. However, Lindner’s stance remains firm, emphasizing that a four-day work week would not boost prosperity in Europe’s largest economy. Despite this, fifty German companies are set to launch a pilot program in February to test the feasibility of shorter work weeks.