Working safely in a changing climate – how do we protect health and the economy?

Climate change challenges the world of work in terms of health, organisation and the economy. Longer heatwaves, such as those experienced in the summer of 2026, affect workers’ productivity, well-being and safety. Experts from the Dialogue Forum discussed how companies and institutions need to adapt to these new circumstances during the exhibition “Planetary Health – At the Heart of People and the Planet” at the Deutsches Museum.

The 2026 heatwave was extreme in many respects and also had a profound impact on the world of work. It put a strain on people’s bodies and circulatory systems, impaired their ability to concentrate and increased the risk of accidents. According to a study by economists at Prognos AG, performance begins to decline by around two per cent when temperatures reach as low as 25 degrees. With every additional degree, productivity falls further, more mistakes are made, and the number of workplace accidents rises.

“Statistical studies show that the number of sick leave notifications rises by 3.5 per cent following a single day of extreme heat – that is, a day with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees,” explained Lukas Sander, Senior Project Manager in the Climate Impacts and Adaptation division at Prognos. “If we experience a heatwave lasting seven days or more, as we have this year, the proportion of sick leave claims rises by as much as 11 per cent.” People who work predominantly outdoors – for example, in agriculture, construction or the logistics sector – are particularly hard hit. However, employees in offices, in the care sector or in hospitals also reach the limits of their resilience.

A single day of extreme heat costs companies in Germany around 430 million euros, mainly due to falling productivity, Sander added. It also results in 76,500 additional days of absence. “When I consider that we had between 22 and 25 hot days across Germany this summer, that quickly adds up to 1.5 million days of absence.” In some regions of Germany, more than 50 hot days were recorded and a new record high of 41.8 degrees was reached. The higher the temperature, the higher the costs. “At over 35 degrees, the daily cost to businesses is almost one billion euros,” Sander emphasised. The trend towards hotter summers with longer heatwaves, which has been observed for decades, is set to continue in the future. “That is why we must consider how we can adapt to this development,” he urged.

“We simply cannot afford these heating costs,” agreed Marietta Eder, deputy chair of the DGB Bavaria. A change in mindset is needed. For example, during the construction of the new DGB building in Munich, particular attention was paid to efficient cooling solutions. Through co-determination, she said, it was possible to push for appropriate measures within companies’ health and safety committees. Furthermore, she argued, we must look beyond operational requirements, as employees in the lower to middle income brackets are often more severely affected by heat in their own homes and are therefore unable to recover properly. She rejected the idea of shifting working hours into the evening to avoid the hottest part of the day. A fixed end to the working day is important so that parents, carers or volunteers can fulfil their responsibilities.

“The rigid working time regulations we have in place here are a hindrance,” countered Klaus Pelster. He is responsible for health management at Siemens Germany. After all, he argued, it is difficult to plan for heat. To ensure occupational safety and health protection, Siemens has drawn up a corresponding set of regulations. “Given the wide variety of workplaces, there is no single heat protection plan,” he pointed out. Every site, whether in Bangalore or Munich, is different. It also makes a big difference whether you work in an office or in a production hall for ICE trains. Ultimately, the same principle applies here as in occupational health and safety in general: first, structural, technical or organisational changes should be initiated to move people out of the heat zone. If that is not sufficient, they must be provided with appropriate protective clothing.

The government, too, has not remained idle in the face of climate change. For instance, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) has developed its own heat protection plans. These are guidelines designed to help various institutions minimise health risks. But how can these guidelines be implemented across the board? Peer-Oliver Villwock, head of the Occupational Safety and Health sub-department at the ministry, believes that a cultural shift is needed for this to happen. “Unless there is a realisation that heat is not a one-off event and that it has an impact on the reality of the workplace, nothing will really change. We need companies that are prepared to trial these plans to see how they work in practice,” says Villwock.

Prognos expert Sander recommends that companies weigh up the costs of protective measures against the costs of heat-related absences. “Everyone can work out for their own business how much they’ll save in lost productivity.” Pelster suggested going beyond the legal requirements and viewing the costs – much like staff training – as an investment in the future, rather than focusing solely on the immediate return on investment.

Eder from the DGB takes a similar view. She also regards heat protection measures as a potential driver of economic growth. She stresses that it is crucial not only to tackle the symptoms – for example, with air conditioning – but also to keep climate protection in mind. A general, statutory climate-related short-time working allowance for the main construction sector during the summer would also be helpful in protecting construction workers during extreme weather conditions.

Villwock from the BMAS, for his part, pointed to shortcomings in monitoring whether the protective requirements set out in the Workplaces Act are actually being complied with. He noted that this is the responsibility of the federal states, but that, in view of a wide range of challenges, some of them set different priorities. He is critical of calls for people to adapt to the new working conditions. “That is a completely wrong approach; it is the work that must adapt.” Otherwise, there is a risk that people will fall ill and we will lose them, which we cannot afford given the labour shortage. Smaller businesses in particular need support to embed adaptation measures into their strategic planning. This only works if they start thinking about the following summer as early as the autumn. We can learn from other countries, such as those in southern Europe, about how best to cope with the heat.

Climate action and adaptation must be considered together if the world of work is to respond to the challenges posed by climate change. It is important that policymakers establish the appropriate framework. At the same time, companies must raise awareness of health and safety at work in order to minimise the health impacts of climate change in the workplace and safeguard the quality of life and work in the long term. Otherwise, we run the risk of healthcare costs spiralling out of control and a decline in economic productivity jeopardising Germany’s position as a business location. 

Keynote:

Lukas Sander
Senior Project Manager, Lead for Climate Impacts and Adaptation, Prognos AG, Berlin

Panel discussion:

Marietta Eder 
Deputy Chair, DGB Bavaria

Klaus Pelster
Head of Health Management, Siemens Germany

Lukas Sander
Senior Project Manager, Lead for Climate Impacts and Adaptation, Prognos AG, Berlin

Peer-Oliver Villwock 
Head of Division “Occupational Safety and Health”, Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

Moderation:

Dr. med. Matthias Albrecht
Specialist in paediatrics and adolescent medicine, Managing Director of KLUG