Hertie School hosts public discussion on the future of work in Germany

Decarbonisation, digitalisation, and demographic shifts are changing the way we work. On one hand, remote working and four-day workweeks give workers more flexibility in shaping their work-life balance. On the other hand, heavy workloads, stagnant wages, and inflation are contributing to increasing political discontent. If work remains the primary source of personal fulfilment and social interaction, what do these changes mean for workers today, and what might they mean in the future?

To provide a roadmap for addressing these and other challenges, Professor of Public Policy Anke Hassel and Wolfgang Schroeder published a book titled Was wird aus der Arbeit? (English. What will become of work?) The book was presented at the Hertie School on 7 October during a panel discussion featuring the book’s Co-Editors Hassel and Schroeder, alongside Christiane Benner (Chair of IG Metall), Steffen Kampeter (Chief Executive of BDA), and Tim Klüssendorf (Secretary General of the SPD and Member of Parliament). The discussion was moderated by Table.Media journalist and author Horand Knaup.

The panel members emphasised that Germany must allocate funding effectively to enhance the quality of education, with a particular focus on vocational training. They also argued that it is essential to protect good work and modernise the labour market to prepare it for an era marked by technological disruption and dominated by artificial intelligence.  

Watch our recording of the event and read our three questions interview with Professor Hassel to delve further into the discussion.

How has work and the workplace changed in recent years?

Work still shapes income, status and identity, but it has become less secure and more fast-changing. New jobs are emerging from technological advancements and social change, giving people more independence while blurring the line between work and personal life.

The main drivers are technology, demographics and regulation. AI and automation primarily affect medium-skilled roles, while interactive and creative work is becoming increasingly important. More women and migrants have joined the workforce, especially in care roles that are vital but often precarious. Meanwhile, weaker collective bargaining and blurred boundaries create new sources of tension.

While employees now enjoy more flexibility, they are also expected to give more in return. Has this actually made working life better?

Work is no longer tied to fixed places and times. Knowledge workers now move between the office, home and appointments, and even police officers and doctors can process some of their files remotely. Personal services, especially in care, still require presence, yet organisation is becoming more complex, as it is increasingly managed through digital systems.

“‘Good work’ must combine technological progress with gender equality, ecological transition and social protection.”

Professor of Public Policy Anke Hassel, Hertie School

Flexibility is both a gain and a challenge. It allows for a better balance between work and family life and reflects women’s and men’s wider roles, but it also makes it harder to draw clear boundaries, leaving both employers and employees struggling to separate work from private life.

Looking ahead, what needs to change to keep people engaged in work, strengthen social cohesion, and prevent a drift towards political extremes?

Flexibility will continue, so new rules are needed to ensure fair pay, decent hours and a balance with private life. Technology, demographic shifts and decarbonisation will continue to reshape the labour market. AI may increase productivity – the leeway created could be used to improve working-time arrangements and pay, especially for vulnerable groups and essential jobs such as care.

“Good work” must combine technological progress with gender equality, ecological transition and social protection, so that jobs support both cohesion and sustainability. The old model has ended; the new one is still taking shape and must be actively negotiated.

Anke Hassel is Professor of Public Policy at the Hertie School. She has extensive international experience and scientific expertise in the fields of the labour market, social partnership, codetermination and the comparative political economy of developed industrial nations.

Photo credit: Hertie School/Ibrar Mirzai

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