Explosive survey

Is achievement no longer worthwhile for young Styrians?

The Chamber of Commerce wants to "fuel the hunger for benefits" among young people in particular.

(Bild: Wolfgang Spitzbart)

If you work hard and achieve something, you can build up prosperity: One in three young people apparently no longer believe this, as a recent survey by the Styrian Chamber of Commerce shows. However, Chamber boss Josef Herk does not want to speak of lazy youth.

"If you can do the math, you'd rather work part-time," says Styrian Chamber of Commerce President Josef Herk, quoting the provocatively exaggerated statement by an Austrian economist. The proportion of part-time work has been increasing for years, including among Styrian employees. This is one of the reasons why the Styrian Chamber of Commerce has taken up the issue of performance and conducted a survey among the Styrian population and entrepreneurs.

"Young people are not lazy"
One of the most striking results: "96 percent of over 61-year-olds rate performance as the basis of our prosperity. Among 18 to 25-year-olds, however, the figure is only 64 percent," explains Herk. This quickly gives rise to the common misconception that young people are lazy and no longer want to achieve anything. Herk disagrees with this, but: "The belief that you can build prosperity through hard work is being lost." 

Those who work full-time must earn noticeably more. Otherwise, fundamental values are in danger of slipping in our society.

Josef Herk, Präsident Wirtschaftskammer Steiermark

Bild: Christian Jauschowetz

How can this belief be restored? The Chamber of Commerce has launched a campaign of demands to this end, with familiar themes leading the way: Reducing taxes on work and cutting red tape. "People who work full-time must earn noticeably more. Otherwise, fundamental values in our society are in danger of slipping," says the WK boss. 

Performance study

Under the title "Performance as the basis for our prosperity", the Styrian Chamber of Commerce conducted a survey among local companies and the population in May. An excerpt of the results:

• 88 percent of entrepreneurs and 87 percent of the population agree with the statement "Performance is the basis of our social prosperity".
• In terms of age structure, only 61 percent of young Styrians (18-25 years) agree with this statement. For over 61-year-olds, the figure is 96 percent.
• 95% of entrepreneurs see reducing bureaucracy as an important measure to increase motivation (population: 88%)
• 94% of entrepreneurs and 95% of the population agree with the demand for "more net from gross".
• At least a third of all respondents (entrepreneurs and the population) see an increase in the actual retirement age as an incentive to work harder.

Less bureaucracy and taxation
The survey conducted among Styrians underpins these demands. According to the survey, both entrepreneurs and the population see the reduction of bureaucracy as a major incentive for more performance, as well as "more net from gross". In third place among the demands are more accurate social benefits. In other words, it should not be too attractive to collect unemployment benefits instead of going to work.