On March 15, Spain announced they are putting forth a request to trial a four-day working week for companies that were interested. This plan was the brainchild of leftwing Spanish party Más País, who along with this plan is proposing a reduced work week of 32 hours.
This is not the first time countries have talked about it, but it seems to be the first time countries are truly serious in taking action to improve people’s lives, gain productivity, and give people more time. In fact, New Zealand and Germany have been talking about similar plans.
One of the main goals of putting such plans into action is to actually increase productivity. While that may sound like an oxymoron, there are a number of studies that point out that sometimes less is indeed more. Some advantages include:
- Employees feel more refreshed and rested. Like the very best athletes, rest is often times as important as practice
- Since employees may be happier, that likely equals more positive day-to-day relationships with colleagues
- Because they are happier and have more energy and are spending more time with family or friends, they often feel more purpose in their lives, which may lead to less turnover
COVID-19 Has Helped to Force Change on Numerous Social Issues
As the COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on numerous social issues, it has also made people and companies more willing to change. Proponents of a reduced work week speak not only about the increase in productivity, but also how it could play a key role in improving mental health of workers, fighting climate change with, for example, less driving to work as more people are working from home, and general physical health and wellness. This could also help with potential burnout, stress, and depression.
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