Germany’s Managers Are Always on Call — and It’s Driving Them out the Door
22.06.2026 - 23:04:50 | boerse-global.de
Holidays used to mean a clean break. For Germany’s executives, they are now just another workplace with a different view. A survey by the career portal karriere.at, polling roughly 1,000 participants, found that 61 percent of managers regularly check work messages while on vacation. Another quarter stay available for emergencies. Only 14 percent manage to disconnect completely. Among those who never switch off, 36 percent say the constant reachability takes a toll on them emotionally.
The sentiment is echoed in the latest Gallup Engagement Index, which records a sharp drop in manager loyalty since 2020. Just twelve percent of German leaders now feel a strong emotional bond to their employer. Around three in ten are actively scouting for new positions. The main reasons cited: relentless restructuring, a perceived loss of purpose, and insufficient backing from upper management. The Personio Report 2026 paints an even broader picture, showing that nearly half of all German employees are contemplating a job switch within the next twelve months, driven by stressful environments and a lack of appreciation.
This disconnect comes despite the fact that German managers enjoy above-average resources at work. A new factsheet from the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) and the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) highlights a paradox: leaders have wide latitude to make decisions, yet they face extreme demands. The imbalance threatens their health. The BAuA handbook on risk assessment warns that while mental strain can energize, mismatched workloads and time constraints lead to stress and fatigue. Clear tasks, social support, and limited hours are cited as the strongest protective factors.
Protecting your workforce from these pressures starts with a solid risk assessment framework. The BAuA handbook stresses that mismatched workloads lead to stress, but the right tools can help managers proactively identify and mitigate such hazards. The free Health & Safety Toolkit from Health & Safety Adviser provides ready-to-use risk assessments, checklists, and compliance guides aligned with UK regulations. Download the free Health & Safety Toolkit
Political debate over work hours is now intensifying alongside these health concerns. In June, Labour Minister Bärbel Bas presented a draft bill to reform Germany’s Working Hours Act. Trade unions and employers would be allowed to negotiate a maximum weekly working time rather than the current daily cap. The same proposal would mandate electronic time tracking — to be recorded on the day itself. Industry groups and opposition politicians pounced. The DEHOGA, representing hospitality, argues that tying flexibility to collective agreements locks out smaller businesses. Meanwhile, Mercedes supervisory board chairman Martin Brudermüller is calling for a general return to the 40-hour week without pay compensation, saying Germany has lost its productivity edge and labour costs are too high. Unions counter that such a move would endanger health, pointing to 638 million unpaid overtime hours clocked in 2024.
Some countries have already moved to curb the always-on culture. Luxembourg will impose administrative fines of between €251 and €25,000 on employers who lack clear non-reachability policies, starting 4 July 2026. Ontario enforces similar rules for companies with 25 or more staff. Since August 2024, Australian workers have had the legal right to refuse after-hours contact.
How are managers themselves coping with the pressure from AI disruption and economic stagnation? Leaders like Leonhard Birnbaum (Eon) and Bettina Orlopp (Commerzbank) advocate pragmatism and a conscious cultivation of joy in the work itself. Neuroscientist Volker Busch maintains that resilience can be trained. More executives are turning to AI-powered assistants to unclog administrative bottlenecks, freeing time for strategic thinking. Yet the health outlook remains grim. According to the 2026 DAK Health Report, more than half of employees over the age of 50 want to retire early, and a rising sick-leave rate among older workers underscores the urgent need for better corporate health management.
