2023-07-18 20:00:12
Germany, which observes with concern the heat wave striking the rim of the Mediterranean, debates the means of adapting to climate change by taking inspiration from an age-old ritual: the siesta.
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The subject warmed the spirits on Tuesday even if the country is currently spared by the furnace which overwhelms several countries in southern Europe in particular.
The idea was floated by a representative of the medical sector: “When it’s hot, we should take an example of how people work in southern countries: get up early, work productively in the morning and do a siesta at noon,” the head of the Association of Physicians of the German Public Health Services (BVÖGD), Johannes Niessen, said in an interview.
The ‘siesta’, as the term is used in Europe’s leading economy, is ‘a concept we should embrace in the summer months’, he added.
The proposal received support from Health Minister Karl Lauterbach who, in a post on Twitter, called the midday break “medically sound for many professions”, while leaving the decision to companies and their employees.
Siesta in the heat is certainly not a bad suggestion. Employers and employees should negotiate this themselves. Medically useful for many professions. https://t.co/LUtRrWBaeg
— Professor Karl Lauterbach (@Karl_Lauterbach) July 18, 2023
The Federation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA) did not reject the idea, suggesting a reform of working time allowing more flexibility. “This can include longer lunch breaks, if this is possible from the point of view of the operation of the company and if the employees and the employers agree”, estimates the BDA.
“Making working hours take place during the coolest hours of the day is a possible instrument,” observed Anja Piel, member of the Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB).
Other measures can also be applied in offices, recalled the union representative: blinds adapted to sun protection, keeping heat sources such as printers and photocopiers away, relaxing the dress code, making cold drinks available to employees. .
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