U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont, stated in an opinion piece that it is time to transition to a 32-hour work week with no reduction in pay to alleviate national stress and improve quality of life. Meanwhile, Nikolas Stihl, chairman of the German chainsaw company Stihl, advocated for abolishing Germany's long-standing 35-hour work week for metalworkers, extending it to 40 hours without increased pay to enhance Germany's competitiveness amid high labor costs. The article noted that while research shows a 32-hour work week can improve employee well-being and satisfaction, and help companies retain and recruit talent, extending working hours could be counterproductive, harming employee motivation and reducing productivity.