Why the four-day work week is a ‘huge success’ in Iceland | Economie

Tests for shorter working hours, with workers receiving the same amount for fewer hours, were conducted between 2015 and 2019.

Productivity has either stayed the same or improved in most workplaces, according to the researchers.

A number of other similar tests are performed around the world, including بما Spain and through Unilever in New Zealand.

In Iceland, they were led by the Reykjavik City Council and the national government. Among them were more than 2,500 workers, equivalent to about 1% of the working population of Iceland.

Many have gone from 40 hours a week to 35 or 36 hours, say researchers at Britain’s Autonomy think tank and the Society for Sustainable Democracy in Iceland.

The results prompted unions to renegotiate labor standards, and now 86% of Iceland’s workforce is shifting to shorter working hours, but keeping wages.

Workers reported feeling less stressed or less at risk of burnout. They added that their health and balance between work and family life had improved.

Will Strong, Autonomy’s director of research, praised the study.

“It shows that the world’s largest test of a shorter work week in the public sector has been, in all respects, an overwhelming success. It shows that the public sector is ripe to be a leader – and other governments can learn lessons.”

“The shorter weekly working hours in Iceland tell us that it is not only possible to work less, but that gradual change is also possible,” said Gudmundur de Haraldsson, researcher at Alda.

Spain is testing a four-day work week for companies, in part due to coronavirus challenges.

• The experiment in Spain reduced working hours to 4 days a week

it’s at Unilever in New Zealand also gives employees the opportunity to reduce their working hours 20% without prejudice to the salary.

In May, a report commissioned by the 4 Days Week Platform London campaign suggested that shorter working hours could reduce the UK’s carbon emissions.