Four days a week Why a ‘huge win’ in Iceland | Economy

Trials of shorter working hours, in which workers received the lowest amount of the same amount, took place between 2015 and 2019.

Researchers report that productivity was similar or improved in most workplaces.

Many similar experiments are being conducted around the world Spain And Unilever in New Zealand.

In Iceland, they were led by the Reykjav நகரk City Council and the National Government. They include more than 2,500 workers, equivalent to 1% of Iceland’s working population.

Researchers at the British Research Center Autonomy and the Association for Sustainable Democracy (ALDA) in Iceland say many of them have gone from 40 to 35- or 36 hours in a work week.

These results prompted the unions to reconsider their work standards, and now 86% of Iceland’s workers have switched to fewer hours, but wages are maintained.

Workers feel less stress or risk of burning. They also said that the balance between their health and work and family life has improved.

Will Strong, director of research at Autonomy, praised the study.

“It shows that the world’s biggest test of a short work week in the public sector was, by all means, the greatest success. It shows that the public sector is ripe to be a pioneer – and that lessons can be learned by other governments.”

Goodmundur D., a researcher at Alta. Haroldson said: “Iceland’s short working hours mean not only less work is possible, but also progressive change.”

Due to the challenges of the corona virus, Spanish companies are testing a four-day work week.

• Trial in Spain to reduce working hours to 4 days a week

It is Unilever in New Zealand offers employees the opportunity to reduce their working hours 20% without harming the salary.

In May, a report commissioned by Platform London’s 4-day weekly campaign suggested that shorter working hours would reduce carbon emissions in the UK.