Lazy Germans...???

For centuries, Germany has maintained a global reputation for discipline, efficiency, and a strong work ethic. Yet recently, voices have emerged questioning this very ethic, pointing to Germany’s short average annual working hours as a sign of complacency.

Clemens Fuest, head of the Ifo Institute, recently reignited this debate by suggesting that Germany needs to “recover its work ethic” to fight economic stagnation. His proposed remedy is reducing the number of public holidays — starting with canceling one or two immediately.

According to 2022 data from the OECD, Germans worked an average of 1,349 hours per year. This is fewer than any other members. In the same year, Greeks worked 1,872 hours, Spaniards 1,641 hours, and Italians 1,669 hours. On the surface, these figures might seem to support Fuest’s argument. But do fewer hours worked automatically translate to poor productivity?

Germany currently has nine nationwide public holidays, which is not excessive by European standards. However, due to its federal system, each of the 16 states observes additional regional holidays — with Bavaria topping the list at 13. This patchwork of public holidays has led some business leaders and economists to call for a national reassessment, arguing that reducing holidays could boost productivity.

On the other side, labor unions and worker advocacy groups stress that enough rest is integral to long-term performance. Reducing holidays, they argue, might improve working time on paper but could undermine worker well-being and job satisfaction — both of which are critical to sustained productivity.

Germany is indeed facing a labor shortage. But let’s be clear. This is not simply a matter of time spent on the job. The real issue lies in how effectively that time is used. Productivity isn't just a product of more hours — it's about better systems, smarter work, and stronger infrastructure. In note, it was Mexico that ranked the highest annual working hours across OECD countries followed by Costa Rica and Colombia.

Cutting holidays may offer a symbolic gesture of urgency, but it is far from a real solution. If an economy is so brittle that a single day’s labor makes a meaningful difference, then clearly the system’s got some serious fundamental problems.

Rather than reducing rest, the focus should be on enhancing productivity through innovation, education, digitalization, and labor policies that attract and retain talent. (Although I still believe Germans are very reliable, hard-working people) Even if German work ethic became weak, it is not a disease but only a symptom

Of course, this isn’t just for Germany. It is common that people prefer to blame “lazy employees” for economic slowdown rather than addressing real problems.