Austrians overworked: Bad working atmosphere, high pressure

Over half (54 percent) say that the productivity is said to have increased in domestic companies. So more work gets done in an hour than before. The works councils see optimized processes and digitalization as the drivers for this development. Both factors could provide employees with better working conditions – according to the survey, this is not the case.

Worse working atmosphere, higher pressure

According to the barometer, the workload has increased massively – among the negative trends, the work pressure is particularly massive with a value of minus 57 percent, followed by the increase in work (minus 42 percent). The working atmosphere also recorded a minus ten percent. In addition, employees would feel more and more pressure to work while on sick leave or in their free time.

At the same time, works councils assess the economic situation of their companies as increasingly critical. While 67 percent of it was rated as positive in 2024, in 2026 it will only be 52 percent. Surely an increase in productivity should actually lead to more competitiveness and thus better results? The question arises: How productive is Austria really? Answers can be found in the Productivity Council’s productivity report, which was presented to the Minister for Economic Affairs at the end of 2025.

This is how productive Austria is: A fact check

It says that Austria’s economy is robust in many parts. However, important indicators would develop downwards. One of these declining indicators: labor productivity of all things. This falls every year – especially in the production of goods, in the construction and service sectors as well as in accommodation and catering. Information and communication proves to be a positive outlier, with above-average growth in productivity. Overall, however – and this is an important factor – what has been achieved goes working hours per employed person Part-time quota increases in men and women. According to Statistics Austria, the average weekly working time is now 29.4 hours – twenty years ago it was around 35 hours.

Demographic change is exacerbating the situation. There is a shortage of workers. Nevertheless, the employment rate is increasing and has reached a high of around 4.5 million. AMS boss John head once put it this way: “More employees work less in fewer hours.” So is the increased pressure on individuals just imagination?

Not that hardworking?

There is a classification Andreas ReinstallerSenior Principal Economist at the Productivity Council. In the KURIER interview, he emphasized again that “all indicators point to a sharp decline in productivity”. In particular, the phenomenon of “labor hoarding” (companies have tried for some time to retain employees despite lower workloads) would have had a negative impact.

However, the situation has changed since mid-2024. Companies have begun to increasingly rationalize, optimize work flows and increase individual areas of responsibility. “This cannot be dismissed out of hand, even if it is not reflected in official statistics,” says Reinstaller. Even in the event of a short economic upswing, companies would be cautious about adding workers again. The economist concludes that the pressure to perform within companies may well have increased. The question is how long the workers can endure this.

Education as key

For ÖGB federal managing directors Willi Mernyi is clear: “The working population is not a machine.” Anyone who constantly increases the pace of work is endangering their health. This is made clear by the Wifo Absence Report 2026 presented last week. The number of short-term sick leaves is higher than ever. ÖGB and AK therefore advocate recognizing health as a productivity factor. The demand: Age-appropriate jobs are needed so that employees can retire healthy.

AK director Silvia Hruška-Frank also insists on more training: “If people get the necessary qualifications, they gain security instead of being overwhelmed by the introduction of new technology.”