The 4-day workweek is gaining global traction as a means to boost employee well-being and productivity.

Several European countries are implementing or considering a 4-day workweek model.

The 4-day workweek model is seen as a way to improve work-life balance, increase productivity, and reduce burnout.

The UAE has adopted a 4.5-day working week, while Sharjah has a four-day week, resulting in improved resident well-being.

In the UK, 30 companies are trialing a 4-day workweek for 6 months to assess its impact on productivity, well-being, and the environment.

A four-day week could cost the UK economy £45 billion annually if productivity remains constant.

A 6% increase in productivity could reduce the loss to £17 billion.

Iceland's trial showed employees had reduced stress and burnout, and increased motivation, resulting in fewer sick leaves.

A 4-day workweek trial has yielded positive results in countries like New Zealand, Canada, and Spain.

Spain will test a 32-hour workweek with 200 companies and 3,000-6,000 employees, maintaining pay and staffing levels.

The impact of a 4-day workweek on productivity and well-being varies by industry and type of work.

Implementing a 4-day workweek is challenged by local labor laws and corporate presenteeism culture.

Effective implementation requires leadership support and employee confidence in the new work arrangement.

Over 90% of companies that tried a 4-day workweek plan to continue it, with no impact on productivity and a 1.4% average revenue increase.

Most employees want a 4-day workweek, with 89% hoping their employer will implement it and 44% considering it the top job perk.

Studies have shown that 4-day workweeks yield the same productivity as 5-day workweeks, with added benefits of improved job satisfaction, teamwork, and work-life balance.

Productivity is not linked to work period length, and modern technology has reduced the need for physical workplace presence.

The 4-day workweek is gaining global traction as a means to boost employee well-being and productivity.

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Which European countries have implemented a system of four days a week with employees keeping their salaries?
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By: Euronews
Which European countries have implemented a four-day working week with employees retaining their salaries - Copyright Frank Cilius / AP
When the Coronavirus epidemic spread across Europe, many organizations adopted more flexible work plans through telecommuting, and other countries were quick to consider reducing working days, in order to give employees the flexibility to combine work and family life, by conducting experiments and studies that go hand in hand with the demands of the labor market and to motivate employees to be more productive in their workplace.
What do advocates say about working four days a week?
Advocates of the idea of working four days a week, an important way to enable employees to focus on their family and private lives, considering that employee comfort contributes to improving the quality of work and achieving satisfaction.
Trade unions across Europe have called on governments to work four days a week.
Which European countries have adopted a four-day working week or are planning to adopt it?
Belgium
In Belgium, workers will soon be able to work four days a week instead of the current five, provided the 38-hour working week does not change.
Last month, the country ’ s coalition government agreed that the new “labor market ” deal would include a series of measures that would provide more flexibility for employees to do their jobs.
Employees who want to work four days will be given the possibility to work more hours a day in exchange for an extra day off during the week.
In this case, the weekly rest days are limited to three days.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre De Croo hopes the measure will help “make the Belgian labor market more flexible, where employees will be able to reconcile their family and professional lives ” and explained that the new model should create a more dynamic economy.
"The goal is to give individuals and companies more freedom to arrange their work times," he said, adding that "if we compare our country to other countries, we will see that we are often less dynamic."
Sweden
In Sweden, a four-day work week with full pay was tested in 2015.
The proposal was to try out six-hour workdays instead of eight hours while keeping the salary the same, but not everyone was thrilled with the idea of spending money on the aforementioned experiment.
Even left-wing parties believe that implementing this plan on a large scale would be too costly for the state treasury.
But positive results were observed within the orthopaedic unit of a university hospital, which turned 80 nurses and doctors to work six hours a day and hired new staff to make up for the remaining time.
The response of the medical staff was positive, but the experiment also faced much criticism, however, some companies, such as automaker Toyota, chose to keep reduced working hours for workers.
Germany
The average working week in Germany is 34.2 hours.
Most jobs in Germany require working seven or eight hours a day, five days a week.
Last year, IG Metall, the country ’ s largest trade union, called for fewer work weeks, arguing that it would help keep jobs and avoid layoffs.
According to a survey by the Forsa survey institute, 71% of workers in Germany would like to apply the option of working four days a week.
SPAIN
In March 2021, the Spanish government approved the launch of a pilot project for companies interested in implementing the four-day (32-hour) week.
Earlier last year, Spain ’ s left-wing Mas Pais party announced that the government had accepted its proposal to test the idea, and has held talks since then.
Party leader Enigo Erijón said the debate on the four-day week had begun, adding: “It ’ s an idea whose time has come. ”
“Spain is one of the countries where workers work more hours than the average in Europe. ”
The pilot phase is set to last at least one year, but it is not yet clear when it will begin.
United Kingdom
In the UK, a six-month pilot programme was launched in January, where companies are looking at the impact of shorter working hours on the productivity of companies and the well-being of their workers, as well as the impact on the environment and gender equality.
So far, about 30 companies have signed up for the program, which starts in June this year and is overseen by researchers at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford.
Under the reform, employees will be allowed to work up to 9.5 hours a day, that is, from 9 a.m. to 6: 30 p.m., meaning the employees involved will be able to work four days a week and keep the salary the same without the slightest change.
Scotland
In Scotland, the experience associated with working four days a week is set to begin in 2023.
The government cited a recent survey conducted by the Public Policy Research Institute (IPPR) in Scotland, which showed that 80 per cent of people who responded to and participated in the survey gave very positive impressions of the initiative.
Respondents said the program would significantly boost their health and happiness.
Some Scottish companies have already started working four days a week, with Glasgow ’ s UPAC Group recently saying its employees will soon start working four days a week with the same salary and benefits after running a “successful pilot program, ” company officials said.
Iceland
Icelandic and British think tanks say the world ’ s biggest weekly workday reduction experiment has been a huge success.
More than 2,500 Icelanders participated in the experiment, which reduced their weekly working hours to between 35 and 36 hours (four days of weekly work) between 2015 and 2019 without reducing their salaries.
The researchers said the experiment improved workers' productivity and well-being, or at least kept it at normal levels at work five days a week.
According to the results of the study, approximately 90 per cent of the working population now perform their jobs on reduced hours.
The researchers found decreased levels of worker stress and burnout, and reported improvements in work-life balance conditions.

What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

The productivity  increased
The employees were happier

What did a survey on 4-day workweek conducted in Hong Kong show?

61% of respondents said employers could implement a four-day workweek to improve employees' mental health.

What has a Gallup Poll found out about the prospect of 4-day workweek?

77% of American employees believe that it will have a positive impact on their health

What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

Increase in employee and customer satisfaction.

Several European countries are implementing or considering a 4-day workweek model.

The 4-day workweek model is seen as a way to improve work-life balance, increase productivity, and reduce burnout.

What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

What did a survey on 4-day workweek conducted in Hong Kong show?

61% of respondents said employers could implement a four-day workweek to improve employees' mental health.

What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

What has a Gallup Poll found out about the prospect of 4-day workweek?

77% of American employees believe that it will have a positive impact on their health

What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

Increase in work quality indicators
Increase in productivity

The UAE has adopted a 4.5-day working week, while Sharjah has a four-day week, resulting in improved resident well-being.

Title:

Content: The four-day work week is welcome, but some challenges remain

This shift has thrown up interesting questions on macro and micro levels that over time will need answering

Beta V.1.0 - Powered by automated translation

The sin of presenteeism is shaping up as a pre-pandemic anachronism, and the principal reason for this is not just remote working but an emerging historic global shift towards a shorter working week.

The global headaches from supply constraints following Covid-19 disruption have overshadowed equally profound changes in the labour market. For some bosses, there is rationing not just of the number of workers but the time they are willing to work. As people reassess their work-life balance, responsible employers and some countries are looking at the advantages of compressed hours on the job.

The UAE is a trailblazer in this regard, with most emirates having formally adopted a 4.5-day working model. Sharjah has gone further by opting for a four-day model. Reporting last week in this newspaper found that its residents said they are healthier and happier, enjoying more weekend flexibility and having more time with their families.

Many forecasts over recent years have been very wide of the mark about the economic trajectory of the big developed economies. The Resolution Foundation, a UK-based think tank that looks at work, points out that in analysing the pandemic, “many feared a house price bust, expected the inflation spike to be small/short-lived, said unemployment/insolvencies for workers/firms respectively would surge and claimed this would be a ‘she-cession’. None happened”.

Technology is the driver of all this, and the trend may over time become irresistible

Analysis of Google searches in the UK from an employment agency recently reported the four-day work week had gained popularity among people on the hunt for their next job opportunity. “Google searches for "4 day week jobs" exploded a spectacular 1,011 per cent in early 2022, when compared to 2021,” according to the firm’s research.

One of Britain’s biggest and best-known corporate brands, the department store M&S, has hired a well-known female executive who is a prominent four-day week champion, Katie Bickerstaffe. She said her role was compatible with shorter hours, even though it is a round-the-clock operation.

“We’re a seven-days-a-week, 24-hour operation and that’s what you do, but I’ve always done that [four days] because it gives me the freedom to spend some downtime with my kids and not feel that I don’t have the opportunity to do that during the week,” she explained.

The news coincided with the announcement that 70 UK companies had voluntarily joined a scheme to alter the working week basis of their business. Signing on to a pledge to pay 100 per cent of wages for 80 per cent of the hours worked means much more than just creating new rotas. It means altering the internal working patterns of the business and finding new ways to accommodate latency in the workforce.

Not everyone is convinced this can deliver a kind of workplace nirvana.

The Centre for Policy Studies carried out some research last year that estimated that a four-day week would have a big cost to the economy if productivity levels remained constant. The annual shortfall to the economy would be £45 billion ($55.42bn). On more generous calculations, if a 6 per cent increase in productivity could be achieved in the first decade of the reform, the loss overall could be pared back to £17bn. The analyst behind the figures believes the evidence for productivity gains from compressing hours and having shorter working weeks is extremely limited.

That is not much of an argument for not experimenting with shorter weeks. Employees already job-share and expect work-from-home arrangements throughout the work force. In office-based roles or project work, the flexibility to complete the workload that comes with the job most obviously lends itself to working with a defined, shorter time frame.

There are hurdles for other jobs. Customer-facing roles or service functions will still need to be provided across a far longer time-frame than four days or 32 hours. Unlike in Sharjah, there is no clear directive in the UK for a common day that extends the weekend. Indeed, many people working four days chose a non-consecutive day, such as Wednesday, for the non-working option.

Without the government plumping for Friday as part of a three-day weekend, it is likely that businesses will experience co-ordination both internally and with clients and supplies if substantial numbers in the workforce are missing in action for part of the working week.

There are also concerns around the equality of the development. Can it be true that more flexibility would allow women, in particular, to better balance childcare obligations and thus erode the disadvantage with men?

And as the work-from-home phenomenon has shown, the higher-paid employees have snapped up the main benefits from structural changes in how people work. There is little to suppose that this trend would not emerge from the four-day week.

Technology is, of course, the driver of all this, and the trend may over time become irresistible.

Certainly, the difficulties of drawing an absolute boundary between the working day and your time revolve around the fact that your email is always in your pocket on the phone. That is double-edged. It would be difficult for employers to play another card: offering people four days’ pay, not the salaried five.

Published: June 13, 2022, 4:00 AM

In the UK, 30 companies are trialing a 4-day workweek for 6 months to assess its impact on productivity, well-being, and the environment.

A four-day week could cost the UK economy £45 billion annually if productivity remains constant.

A 6% increase in productivity could reduce the loss to £17 billion.

Iceland's trial showed employees had reduced stress and burnout, and increased motivation, resulting in fewer sick leaves.

Title:

Content: Since June 1 this year, more than 3,000 employees from more than 60 companies in the United Kingdom have conducted a social experiment with a six-month “four-day work ”.
Since 2018, the non-profit organization of "4 Day Week Global" wants to test whether the public interest of "80% working time - 100% wages - 100% productivity" and "three days off a week, labor and management win" really exists.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak so far in 2020, many enterprises have adopted the method of “working from home, diverting work ”, and in the long process of the epidemic, working from home and working from home has become an emerging work style.
Since the end of the epidemic this year, many countries have returned to their original or new jobs, whether they are blue-collar and white-collar workers who have left or changed jobs.
However, in more than two years, the transformation of various workplaces in the enterprise to survive, and the labor compromise of "unpaid leave + retained work" have made more and more pioneer projects of "four days a week", and the industry category has become more and more diversified, becoming a new opportunity to promote.
Among them, the most representative is Iceland.
According to media reports in the middle of last year: “The three-day weekend experiment in Iceland has been a success, and workers ’ happiness and productivity have improved ”; the reason for this is:“ Employees face less workplace stress, anxiety, depression and exhaustion, and therefore work harder and take fewer sick days; workers feel more leisure time, and therefore are more committed to their work. ”
This conclusion, in addition to the ethical questions of the willingness of enterprises and workers to participate, and whether or not to remain anonymous, also requires the testing of more rigorous research methods, such as the length of the experiment, whether the industry type and size of the experiment is consistent, and the working tolerance of the workers involved in the experiment, are worthy of further investigation.
On the other hand, the three-day experiment, the success stories of Iceland, New Zealand, and British Columbia, Canada, did not clearly describe the type of industry, the development of the industry in each country, and whether the size of the enterprises in the industry varies greatly.
In addition, across all continents of the world, countries have different levels of economic development, industrial structures have their own characteristics, and the government originally conferred statutory labor rights and interests, are also different.
In addition to industries that are not suitable for at-home work, the sense of alienation of human relationships, the synergy of face-to-face communication, and whether innovation requires teamwork have become the focus of discussion.
On the front page of the “Four Days a Week Worldwide ” website, the home page shows where the current pioneer projects are located on every continent around the world. Surprisingly, Central and South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia each launched at least five projects, but in Canada and the United States, there is only one pilot project.
Moreover, the website reveals that “working four days a week makes 78% of employees feel happier and less stressed. ”
It can also be seen that not only developed countries are promoting, in fact, more developing countries are also conducting experiments.
While there is a lack of a more convincing description of the experimental design, it is clear that this is indeed a possible new type of workplace.
Because of this, in addition to the pilot of national enterprises to cooperate with international non-profit organizations, there are also governments taking the lead in responding.
Spain ’ s leftist political party, once launched a “three days off ” policy in 2021, and the Spanish government agreed to test the new work system of“ 32 hours per week (8 hours per day) ” on a limited scale. 200 companies are willing to participate, and 3,000 to 6,000 workers benefit.
The result of such a trial gives more room for imagination to "take three days off every week, and employees will win both."
The social experiment of "80% of working hours - 100% of wages - 100% of productivity" has important policy significance for the harmony of labor relations and the long-term development of the economy.
"High working hours" does not mean "high productivity", which is the general consensus of the current society.
"Shorten working hours, wages unchanged", helps companies retain employees, perhaps without controversy; but whether it can also maintain 100% of the work output is questioned by the business community.
After the epidemic, "three days off a week, labor and management win" is applicable to some specific industry categories, and the nature of the work of individual employees may also be more widely distributed in various industries.
And the flexibility of working hours, the heterogeneity of the workplace, the universalization of work dispatch, and even the high expectations of the young generation for "enterprise decentralization" are all the help of "working four days a week", which may be a major challenge for enterprises in the future.
# Work # Employee # Business # Home # 4 Days

A 4-day workweek trial has yielded positive results in countries like New Zealand, Canada, and Spain.

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Content: The 4-day work week: Who is trialing it and does it work? | World | Breaking news and perspectives from around the globe | DW | 17.02.2022

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World

The 4-day work week: Who is trialing it and does it work?

Belgium will now offer employees the opportunity to work a four-day week. Various countries and companies have experimented with the idea, which is gaining traction in many parts of the world.

Who doesn't dream of less time spent at work?

Four days working, three days relaxing with friends and family. And all this for the same money. What's not to like? Surely most employees would jump at the chance. Advocates for the four-day work week suggest that when it is implemented worker satisfaction increases, as does productivity.

Belgium will now be introducing four-day work weeks for those who want it. However, employees will not be working less. They will simply condense their hours into fewer days, if they want to. They will be allowed to decide flexibly on whether to work four or five days a week.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo hopes that the model will help to create a more dynamic economy and will make it easier for people to combine their family lives with their career. But some full-time employees will be working very long days if they choose to condense their hours. Others, like shift workers, will simply not have the option of that flexibility.

DW explores which countries and companies have already experimented with the four-day working week.

Iceland: Fewer hours at full pay

Iceland tested a similar model from 2015 and 2019. However, it reduced the working week from 40 to 35 or 36 hours and maintained pay levels. Some 2,500 people took part in the test phase.

A study by the Icelandic non-profit Alda (Association for Democracy and Sustainability) and the British think tank Autonomy found that the well-being of participants had improved significantly, working processes had been optimized and there was closer collaboration between colleagues. Productivity either stayed the same or improved.

After the test phase, trade unions and associations negotiated permanent cuts in working hours. Some 86% of employees now have the right to a four-day week.

The shorter work week is a success in Iceland, whose prime minister is Katrín Jakobsdottir

Scotland and Wales: An expensive experiment

Scotland is also currently testing the four-day work week, with the state supporting participating companies with about £10 million (ca. $13.6 million). In Wales, Sophie Howe, the future generations commissioner, has also called on the government to introduce a similar four-day working week trial, at least in the public sector.

Mixed results in Sweden

In Sweden, a four-day working week with full pay was tested in 2015, with mixed results. Even left-wing parties thought that it would be too expensive to implement this on a large scale. But some companies chose to keep reduced hours for their workers. The car firm Toyota had already decided to do this for mechanics 10 years ago and has stuck with its decision.

Watch video 02:25

Working less for the same money

Fake news from Finland

Finland also hit the international headlines for a brief moment, after reportedly cutting working hours dramatically. The northern European country allegedly wanted introduce a four-day working week, as well as a six-hour day. But it turned out that this was fake news, which the government then had to put straight.

Spain struggles to start trial phase

In Spain, the four-day working week will also be tested on request of the left-wing party Mas Pais. Some 6,000 employees of 200 small and medium-sized companies will be able to extend their weekend by one day, with full pay. The trial phase is due to run for at least one year, but it is not yet clear when it will begin.

From start-ups to corporate giants

In Germany, it is mainly smaller start-ups that are experimenting with a shorter working week. But in other countries, such as Japan, it is bigger companies that are venturing into this territory: For example, the tech giant Microsoft has experimented with the model by offering employees three-day weekends for a month.

In New Zealand, the consumer goods giant Unilever is currently trialing a four-day work week at full pay. If the experiment turns out to be a success, it will reportedly be extended to other countries.

This article was originally written in German.

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A Psychologist Explores The ‘Shorter Workweek Paradox’

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Have you ever wished you never had to work on a Monday? Your dream might be closer than you think. The concept of reduced working hours is gaining traction globally as organizations and governments recognize the detrimental effects of long hours on employees and employers.

This perspective is catalyzing a shift toward rethinking and reducing work hours to promote healthier life practices. For instance, the post-pandemic adoption of hybrid work models contributed to the understanding that a healthy work-life balance boosts employee satisfaction and productivity. Shorter workweeks can be achieved in different ways. For example:

  • Four-day week. Apart from the weekend, you are also given a day off on Monday or Friday.
  • Fewer daily work hours. You still have to work a five-day workweek, with a reduction in your daily working hours.
  • Half-days off. You are given two afternoons off in a five-day workweek.

What Are The Benefits Of Reduced Working Hours?

In several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden and Spain, trials have been carried out to test the efficiency of shorter workweeks, highlighting the following benefits:

  1. Improved work performance. Shorter workweeks might encourage you to finish your work quicker and with fewer distractions. In 2020, Buffer, an American company, introduced four-day weeks. Based on their extensive trials, 34% of their employees felt more productive, resulting in Buffer permanently shifting to a four-day workweek in 2021. The reduced hours also incentivize you to be creative with your time and encourage efficiency. In their 2019 four-day workweek project, Microsoft Japan initiated collaborative online communication, reduced meetings to 30 minutes and limited meeting participants. Not only were the workers happier, they also experienced a 40% increase in productivity.
  2. Improved health and well-being. Having more time to recuperate from work can positively influence your well-being. A 2022 study found that upon reducing work hours to 30 hours per week, individuals experienced reduction in stress and sleep problems. A four-day week trial conducted in the USA and Ireland showed that employees experienced a 9% reduction in fatigue and 67% also experienced a drop in burnout levels.
  3. Higher life satisfaction. Shorter work hours and more free time tend to improve one’s perception of their life situation. A study in Sweden examined the effects of reduced work hours and canceled lunch breaks for nurses while retaining their wages. The participants reported greater life satisfaction and higher energy levels. “You get a life. I can say as much. You do get it, actually—it is unbelievable what a big difference these two hours make,” a participant explained.
  4. Better work-life balance. Reduced work hours can foster a healthy balance between work and leisure activities. A study found that reducing employees’ work hours while retaining their full pay led to positive work-life balance. They experienced more positive emotions before work, reduced work-related worries and improved relationships with partners, colleagues and their children.

While reduced working hours might seem like a revolutionary idea from afar, reality may be more complex up close. Which brings us to:

What Are The Potential Pitfalls Of Reduced Working Hours?

Here’s why ditching the time-tested five-day workweek needs to be considered carefully:

  1. Monetary issues. Some companies provide shorter workweeks with salary deductions. Employees might also face issues in wage regulations and overtime pay. These can adversely impact their living standards and savings. A 2022 study found that working reduced hours left 45% of individuals worried about having low future retirement income and 33% of individuals found it harder to make ends meet.
  2. Reduced employee bonding. The time crunch to complete tasks in less time can impede social aspects of the job. Some companies also shorten lunch breaks to compensate for missed hours. In such cases, employees rarely get to meet their colleagues and miss out on social interaction.
  3. Higher work pressure. Reducing work hours can increase strain on employees when implemented without foresight. A four-day workweek trial conducted in the UK found that work felt more intense for 36% of the employees. Forty-five percent of employees also felt that their productivity either remained the same as before or decreased in comparison.
  4. Short-term effects. Extensive research on reduced working hours has yet to establish its effectiveness in the long run. A 2022 Gallup survey revealed that the high well-being once associated with four-day workweeks leveled out to match that of the five-day workweek. Four-day workweeks also led to greater burnout than five-day workweeks.

Your desire for a shorter workweek is well-founded. However, initiating a conversation about reduced work hours with your team requires tact and consideration. You must engage in open dialogue, highlighting the potential benefits and addressing concerns to ensure a healthy consensus and eventually, a smooth transition to a work environment that accommodates diverse work styles.

Working less can improve your quality of life. It’s also important to find a “psychologically safe” workplace. Learn if your employer is meeting your needs by taking the evidence-based Psychological Safety Scale.

What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

Spain will test a 32-hour workweek with 200 companies and 3,000-6,000 employees, maintaining pay and staffing levels.

The impact of a 4-day workweek on productivity and well-being varies by industry and type of work.

Title:

Content: Whether to implement the four-day work week can be decided by the employer.
Font Size:
Faced with a tight labour market, the Ministry of Manpower has called on employers to implement flexible working arrangements and to decide for themselves, as appropriate, which work arrangements best meet the needs of business and employees, including whether to implement the four-day work system, but the government has no intention of piloting the four-day work system in the public sector at this time.
Yan Xiaofang, Minister of Education and Minister of Manpower, said Tuesday (September 13) in response to an oral question from Yang Yicai, a member of the Latin Maersk region, that the four-day system is one of the forms of flexible working arrangements, and that reducing the number of working days may be effective for some employers and employees, while others are not.
The Ministry of Manpower and the Labour and Management Tripartite Partners encourage employers to be open to all forms of flexible working arrangements in order to identify and adopt the most suitable form.
The Ministry noted that a number of countries, such as Ireland, Japan and Spain, had experimented with the four-day system.
In Belgium, on the other hand, employees are entitled to work four days a week, but the working hours are extended each day, and the total number of hours worked per week remains the same, and so far the results appear to be mixed.
Stakeholder concerns include the impact of the four-day system on productivity, business costs and employee well-being.
While there are examples of productivity gains, it depends on the field and type of work.
In other cases, reduced working hours mean employers need to hire more people.
At the same time, there are also concerns that wages may be reduced, and some people may face greater pressure by working longer hours per day.
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Food and beverage industry may face more problems.

Implementing a 4-day workweek is challenged by local labor laws and corporate presenteeism culture.

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Content: Brazil test week closed 3 September from some companies trial
Central News Agency
To improve the quality of life of employees, Brazil will test the possibility of working four days a week, use 80% of the time and maintain 100% productivity under the same salary conditions, and the 15 companies participating in the trial will decide how to implement the plan from September.
This is an advertisement, please continue reading.
Nonprofit organization 4 Day Week Global and Brazilian think tank Reconnect _ Happiness at Work today announced at a press conference in Sao Paulo that 15 Brazilian companies will pilot a four-day week starting in September.
Generally speaking, the working day in Brazil is Monday to Friday, and only special industries work on Saturdays and Sundays, and the maximum working hours can not exceed 44 hours per week, 8 hours per day, and overtime can not exceed 2 hours.
The four-day workweek initiative, launched in New Zealand in 2019 and gaining more traction during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been tested so far in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, Australia and other countries, and the model will be carried out in Brazil by Global Four Days a Week in partnership with Reconnect _ Happiness at Work.
According to Global 4 Days a Week, nearly 500 companies around the world test the possibility of working four days a week, and employees must commit to using 80% of the time and 100% of the time under the same salary conditions to improve their quality of life.
Gabriela Brasil, director of Global 4 Days a Week, stressed that the challenges of the initiative are not limited to local labor laws, but also a strong corporate and employee attendance culture, which will require extensive communication and adequate support from leadership to ensure employees feel safe and confident in the new work model.
The 15 participating companies will decide for themselves how to implement the plan and how many departments will enter the pilot phase, and with the help of the Global 4 Days a Week, they will meet from September 5 to learn the basic concepts and steps of the project.
Renata Rivetti, founder of Reconnect and a specialist in corporate happiness, points out that it takes three months to redesign the workflow, and everything has to be done with great care, not only to propose a reduction in workload, but also to propose a new business model with results.
The pilot program began in December, and data on project performance was collected after 3 months.
The whole process ends after 6 months and the numbers are measured again.
Data from participating companies worldwide show that compared to the previous year, 36% improved performance, 42% reduced layoffs, 68% reduced employee burnout, 54% increased productivity, and 63% were more likely to attract talent.
The data confirm that the health and motivation of employees are higher, which brings higher productivity and greater profits to the company. When the company reduces the work pressure of employees and becomes more humane, the productivity of employees will also increase. (Editor: Zhang Zhixuan) 1120831
This is an advertisement, please continue reading.

Effective implementation requires leadership support and employee confidence in the new work arrangement.

Over 90% of companies that tried a 4-day workweek plan to continue it, with no impact on productivity and a 1.4% average revenue increase.

Title:

Content: How about four days a week instead of five?
Here are the results of an exciting experiment involving 60 companies around the world.
More than 60 companies participated in the experiment, allowing around 3,000 employees to work one day less per week while retaining the same salary.
Rates of stress, burnout and fatigue all fell, while problems with sleep declined, the study shows.
Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
MAIN POINTS
• The study found that more than 9 out of 10 companies will continue to shorten the work week or plan to do so
• Productivity was not affected by lighter work weeks, with the company ’ s revenue increasing by an average of 1.4 per cent over the trial period
The study also found that employment increased and absenteeism decreased.
A four-day workweek is more productive for most employees and businesses than the traditional five-day workweek, and is one of the largest trials ever conducted in the UK.
More than 60 companies in the UK participated in the trial over a six-month period, allowing around 3,000 employees to work one day less per week while retaining the same salary.
The trial was conducted between June and December and was organized by a nonprofit group called 4 Day Week Global in collaboration with the Autonomy Research Center, the University of Cambridge, and Boston College in the United States.
The experience is described as the largest in the world around working four days a week.
The survey released on Tuesday found that more than nine out of 10 companies would continue to adopt or plan to do so, while only 4 percent chose not to extend it, regulators said in a statement.
Juliette Shore, a professor at Boston College, said: “The results are largely the same across workplaces of all sizes, demonstrating that this innovation has proven to be effective in many diverse organizations.
Productivity was not affected by shorter working days, with the company ’ s revenue increasing by an average of 1.4% over the trial period.
Revenue jumped 35% on average when compared to similar periods in previous years.
The study also found that employment increased and absenteeism decreased, while the number of resignations dropped sharply during the trial.
In addition, the researchers concluded that overall health and staff well-being improved.
"Significant" increases were also observed in physical and mental health, time spent on exercise, public life and job satisfaction.
Stress, fatigue and fatigue rates have decreased, while sleep problems have decreased.
"Really positive."
Cambridge University professor Brendan Burchell told AFP: “In terms of employees, their mental health improved, they slept better, and they became less stressed.
“But at the same time, companies have stated that if there are changes in their profits or in their performance, they are more likely to go up rather than down. ”
“A lot of people were very happy, people really enjoyed it; and they found it good to have three-day weekends instead of two days. ”
Environmental consultancy Tyler Grange in the UK was among 18 companies that decided to permanently adopt a four-day work week after participating in the trial.
Nathan Jenkinson, customer manager at Tyler Grange, told AFP: “My experience has been really positive, you can see it in people ’ s work and they ’ re more active.
“Employees come to work at the beginning of the week on Monday, after three days off, feel more positive about work and have a lot of energy. ”
Tyler Grange said performance improved slightly despite reduced working hours.
In recent years, studies of the four-day workweek have spread globally as employers explore the nature of post-pandemic work, including the concept of a co-working place that allows more work from home.
Short-week experiments were conducted across Europe, the United States and Canada, as well as in Australia and New Zealand.
However, when asked whether the UK government might adopt the test as a national policy, Prime Minister ’ s spokesman Rishi Sonak sounded cautious and stated, “There are no plans for that. ”
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Published at 22 / 02 / 2023 1: 59pm
Presented by: Nassif Khoury
Source: AFP
Available in other languages
The subject.

Most employees want a 4-day workweek, with 89% hoping their employer will implement it and 44% considering it the top job perk.

Title:

Content: Survey: Nearly half of employees think four-day workweeks are more important than other benefits
Commercial 10: 00 2023 / 06 / 21
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Professional recruitment consultancy Robert Walters conducted a survey of 2,000 current employees around the world, showing that the four-day workweek poses a hidden danger to employers, with office relationships being the most affected.
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According to the survey results, as many as 89% of employees want their employers to implement the four-day work week.
The survey found that a four-day week was the most desirable benefit for job seekers, with 44% saying it was the most attractive in job descriptions, followed by the ability to work anywhere (38%). 46% of employees said they were willing to give up social or even personal relationships with colleagues in the workplace and choose to work four days a week instead.
Only 16% of employees believe that a 10% to 15% pay rise would be more attractive than a 4-day work week.
Other soft benefits, such as social work or free meals, were even less attractive, with only 2% saying they would choose this over the four-day work week.
4-day workweek or affect team centripetal strength
John Mullally, Managing Director of Walters Hong Kong, said that as people ’ s awareness of physical and mental health and work-life balance increased, some companies experimented with a 4.5 day workweek, while others implemented “four days a week ” or“ summer Friday rest ”.
It may be too early to discuss the long-term impact of measures at this stage, but if 46% of employees are willing to give up social and business relationship activities, the company may have to pay for a bad corporate culture.
The survey also found that half of employees who want to work four days a week expect their pay to remain the same. “We believe that the workplace needs to be responsible for the well-being of employees, but employees also have a responsibility to contribute to the success of the business, especially in times of economic uncertainty. ”
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Studies have shown that 4-day workweeks yield the same productivity as 5-day workweeks, with added benefits of improved job satisfaction, teamwork, and work-life balance.

Title:

Content: To increase production and care for the family.
Saudi writer calls for "4" days of work and study
Journalist Omar Al-Omari calls for the application of the system of work and study for 4 days a week, considering that the subject has become worthy of study, as studies showed that employees who work (4) days a week achieved the same levels of productivity, but also showed positive levels in job satisfaction, teamwork and balance between work and caring for families, which increased their loyalty to the facilities in which they work.
Decreased motivation to be in the workplace
4 thoughts on “4 days a week?! ”
In Makkah newspaper, Al-Omari says: There is no relationship between productivity and the length of work, and the headquarters of the school is not the only place to learn, contributed by the presence of modern technology and advanced communication system, artificial intelligence and speed of information exchange and automation, all in its great purpose to serve man and save his time from daily routines, thus decreasing the need to be in the workplace. Innovative thinking, wider spaces of creative products and the acquisition of new skills to make real progress and development difference and impact, and this can only be achieved by creating a comfortable balance between social life and human humanity and the harsh official working environment. ”
Business Idea (4) days trending in recent months
While the idea of working for four days has been popular in recent months, and has been successful in a number of developed countries recently, it is not a product of the moment, so recent studies have shown that employees who are overworked by long work periods and transport to work are actually less productive than the average productivity of employees who work in the same field for less time and have more freedom.
Employees achieved the same levels of productivity
“Studies have shown that employees who work with the idea of   working four days a week achieved the same levels of productivity, but also showed positive levels of job satisfaction, teamwork, work-life balance and loyalty to the facilities in which they work.
People feel happy and satisfied
“I believe that the idea of working four days a week will increase some of the important global rankings as a soft power in enhancing the presence on the world map, namely (World Happiness Index), (World Wellbeing Index) and (Quality of Life), thus reflecting this on the ranking of the best cities and places to live in the world. Other contributing factors include additional income, social support, family empowerment, quality of health and education, security, absence of corruption and the level of freedoms enjoyed by individuals. ”
Greater care for families
According to several European research findings, working four days a week promotes work-life balance and greater personal and social space for the individual; employees will be able to spend more time with their families, better reconcile care and work obligations, be more committed to their tasks and duties, and less likely to be stressed or take sick leave; as a result, they return to work ready to face new challenges in solving problems. And promote the presence of innovation and creativity in the work to achieve efficiency and competition. ”
The subject is worth studying.
“I think the topic has become worthy of study at the level of the number of school days and the number of working days to enhance the quality of life, create wider social spaces, and enhance the happiness and mental health index, ” concluded Al-Omari.
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What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

Increase in employee and customer satisfaction.

Productivity is not linked to work period length, and modern technology has reduced the need for physical workplace presence.