Four-day week: Which countries have embraced it

The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed debates over the four-day workweek, prompting employees and businesses to reconsider the value of workplace flexibility and benefits.

The concept is straightforward: people would work four days a week for the same pay and benefits, but with the same workload.

Companies that reduce their workweek would have fewer meetings and more solo work as a result.

The four-day workweek has been hailed as the future of employee productivity and work-life balance, with proponents claiming that when implemented, worker satisfaction and productivity rise.

Trade unions across Europe are urging governments to introduce a four-day work week, but which nations have embraced the concept and how has it fared?

Belgium will implement a four-day workweek for those who request it

Belgian employees obtained the ability to complete a full workweek in four days rather than the normal five without losing pay last month.

Employees will have the option of working four or five days per week, but this does not mean they will work less; rather, their working hours will be compressed into fewer days.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo thinks that the deal would assist to loosen Belgium's notoriously tight labor market and make it easier for people to combine their family lives with their careers.

In addition, he stated that the new approach should result in a more dynamic economy.

"The idea is to provide people and businesses greater flexibility in how they schedule their work time," he explained. "When you compare our country to others, you'll notice we're not nearly as dynamic."

In June, the United Kingdom will begin a six-month program

A six-month pilot program, the largest of its type, began recruiting employers in January to investigate the impact of reduced working hours on corporate productivity and employee well-being, as well as the environment and gender equality.

Researchers from Cambridge and Oxford Universities, as well as the non-profit advocacy groups 4 Day Week Global, the 4 Day Week UK Campaign, and the UK think tank Autonomy, have already signed up 60 enterprises with approximately 3,000 employees for the program, which begins in June this year.

Employees will be able to work up to 9.5 hours a day – the equivalent of 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. – under the reform, allowing them to compress a week's worth of work into four longer days.

Scotland and Wales are expected to join the worldwide campaign

A trial in Scotland is set to begin in 2023, and a trial in Wales is also being considered.

The decision marked the fulfillment of the ruling Scottish National Party's campaign promise (SNP).

Workers' hours will be cut by 20%, but no remuneration will be lost.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) will contribute around £10 million (€11.8 million) to the participating businesses.

The government cited a recent poll done by Scottish think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) in Scotland, which found that 80% of those polled were extremely pleased about the program.

Iceland is a pioneer in the four-day workweek movement

Between 2015 to 2019, Iceland completed the world's largest experiment of a 35 to 36-hour workday (rather than the traditional 40 hours) with no calls for wage cuts.

The test phase drew well around 2,500 participants.

The data were analyzed by the British think tank Autonomy and the Icelandic non-profit Association for Sustainability and Democracy to assure quality control (ALDA).

Researchers hailed the trial as a success, and Icelandic trade unions agreed to reduce working hours.

Sweden, Germany, Japan, Spain and New Zealand are also in trial stages of shorter working weeks.

Overall, the four-day workweek appears to be gaining support around the world, but whether governments will fully embrace the concept remains to be seen.