The working time dialogue in trialogue format

With the Green Paper "Working 4.0 - Rethinking Work", the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) has provided impetus for a discussion process on the future organisation of work. Against the backdrop of technological innovations as well as demographic and cultural changes, which are accompanied by new demands on the organisation of work, the aim is to discuss ways of shaping an innovative working time policy.

To mark this occasion, the BMAS commissioned the Berlin Governance Platform to hold two trialogue events to which social partners, representatives of civil society and academia were invited. The results of the two trialogue events were included in the White Paper Working 4.0 were incorporated.

The following widely supported findings and proposals are among the results of the working time dialogue that have found their way into the White Paper on Work 4.0:

1. a change in corporate and management culture is necessary for an innovative organisation of working time.

2. there is a need for research into the health burdens of knowledge work and the multiple burdens of work and family.

3. there needs to be a social dialogue on and promotion of models for individual working time over the life course, for example in the form of a long-term employment account that takes better account of time requirements over the course of life.

4. the return from part-time to full-time work should be legally secured.

5. there is great potential in the establishment of experimental spaces for rest periods and maximum daily working hours, flanked as far as possible by existing tripartite platforms in their implementation.

1st Trialogue: Challenges and opportunities of innovative working time organisation | 8 July 2016

The aim of this trialogue was the direct exchange of relevant social stakeholder groups on the challenges and opportunities of innovative working time organisation that takes into account the interests of employees, companies and other existing social interests. In the process, the stakeholder groups exchanged arguments to identify basic consensus, compromise lines and differences regarding options for working hours and location.

Furthermore, the trialogue identified design options as well as steps and strategies for the implementation of time policy innovations by companies and politicians with the support of organised civil society.

2nd Trialogue: Flexible, but self-determined? Paths to new flexibility compromises in working hours | 30 August 2016

The discussion of the second trialogue was based on the results of the first trialogue on the working time dialogue. Fundamental problems and practical obstacles, requirements and opportunities of flexible working time organisation were collected and systematised in the discussion in order to jointly arrive at viable and practicable solutions.

The trialogue identified scope for experimenting with the short-term flexibility needs of companies and the protection of employees against the removal of boundaries and excessive demands. In addition, opportunities for a life course orientation in the organisation of working hours and for the expansion of the principle of optional working hours were discussed.

DURATION

2016

FUNDER

Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)

CONTACT

Prof. Dr. Gesine Schwan

PUBLICATION

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