New working time models and digitalization lead to profound changes in the world of work. In view of these developments, the United Services Trade Union (ver.di, Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft) Saxony-Anhalt and the collective bargaining association (Landestarifgemeinschaft) of the German Red Cross (DRK) Saxony-Anhalt have reduced the working hours of the approximately 400 employees of the DRK Sangerhausen in a pilot project from 40 hours per week to four days of nine hours each, with full wage compensation. In our accompanying research, we examine the impact of the model experiment on the employees’ job satisfaction and health and reconstruct the genesis and implementation of the field test. A particular focus lies on how the digitalization strategy of the DRK Sangerhausen has enabled operational working time reductions and to what extent a social partnership-based design of working time reductions can be implemented in the direct nursing context, but also in indirect areas such as administration and housekeeping. We also investigate the extent to which a reduction in working hours can make the occupational field of elderly care more attractive and thus more sustainable and crisis-resistant. Since the digitalization strategy of the DRK Sangerhausen is also intended, from the company parties’ point of view, to make an important contribution here, we also ask whether and how digitalization processes can ensure the future viability of this key sector in an occupational field characterized by high social importance and a simultaneous shortage of skilled workers.

With our accompanying research, we also want to contribute to the current research debate on the prerequisites and effects of a four-day week and reduced working hours, which has been stimulated in recent years by field tests in the US, Iceland, Great Britain, and Spain, and generate orientational knowledge for German actors in trade union and company policy.

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