The Netherlands has officially switched to a four-day workweek. What is the reason?
The Netherlands abandoned the five-day workweek: in 2024, the average working hour was 32.1 hours, and the changes were largely driven by women.
The Netherlands abandoned the five-day workweek: in 2024, the average working hour was 32.1 hours, and the changes were largely driven by women.
According to Fortune, this approach helps keep people in the labor market, while in the US women are leaving their jobs en masse due to forced returns to the office.
The country believes that a 32-hour week is more than enough to keep businesses thriving and meet their obligations. Employees cite the many benefits of such a change as the ability to maintain a work-life balance and flexible schedules. The Netherlands prioritizes a fulfilling life over productivity statistics.
«Instead of being overworked and burning out early, employees are able to work longer hours. As a result, the older population is less likely to fall into the category of ‘retirees with dependents’ and most employees are guaranteed a longer career in their chosen industry. The shortened workweek in the Netherlands has far-reaching benefits for employers and employees,» says The HR Digest.
By the way, experiments with a four-day workweek are already underway in many countries around the world. For example, in Poland, the government is launching a pilot program, within the framework of which an experiment with a shortened workweek will be conducted while maintaining the current level of wages.
In Germany, 50 companies are testing a four-day workweek with equal pay from February 2024. In the UK, more than 200 companies have announced plans to switch to a permanent four-day workweek without loss of pay. Research shows that this approach can lead to increased productivity and reduced stress among employees.
At the same time, Austria and Denmark also support reducing the working week to an average of 34 hours.
This approach is used by some Ukrainian IT companies, especially in the summer.
For example, YouScan is switching to a 4-day workweek for the summer for the third time. The decision to return to a reduced schedule was in response to a request from employees.
This month, Kyiv-based IT product company Atola Technology also switched to a four-day work week. But for them, it’s still an experiment.
AI can help you switch to a four-day week without losing your pay. When to expect «magic» from technology
AI can help you switch to a four-day week without losing your pay. When to expect «magic» from technology
4-day workweek — pilot program launched in Poland. Employees and employers will have several options for reducing working hours
4-day workweek — pilot program launched in Poland. Employees and employers will have several options for reducing working hours
Read the country’s main IT news in our Telegram
Read the country’s main IT news in our Telegram
