Instead of a debate about the four-day week, IW boss Hüther demands that people work longer – following the example of Switzerland and Sweden. This can also counteract the shortage of skilled workers.
In the fight against the shortage of skilled workers, the director of the German Economic Institute (IW), Michael Hüther, has called for longer working hours. “We have to work more again – like Switzerland is doing,” he told the “Rheinische Post”.
In Switzerland as well as in Sweden, almost 300 more hours per year are worked full-time than in Germany. According to Hüther, extending working hours based on the model in these countries could go beyond weekly working hours or other holiday arrangements. In times of greater autonomy in terms of working time and place of work, this can certainly be communicated.
Hüther: Immigration does not solve the problem
Hüther does not share the demand of other economic experts for up to 1.5 million immigrants a year: “One million immigrants is too many and would drive up the integration costs enormously.” Already this year, 4.2 billion working hours per year would be missing. “We won’t get that with immigration.”
Without an increase in working hours, growth rates of 0.5 to 0.75 percent would be possible in the next few years at best, with inflation of three to three and a half percent. “That would be the scenario of permanent stagflation, which nobody wants.” Experts speak of stagflation when the economy grows little or not at all, but inflation is increasing.
skills shortage at record high
According to a study by the IW in April, the shortage of skilled workers in Germany worsened last year and reached a record high. In 2022, more than 630,000 vacancies for skilled workers nationwide could not be filled because job seekers did not have the required qualifications.
This was determined by the IW’s competence center for securing skilled workers (Kofa). It is the greatest shortage of skilled workers since 2010 and is particularly noticeable in the areas of health, social affairs, teaching and education as well as in the areas of construction, architecture, surveying and building technology.