The concept of a four-day work week is gaining popularity in the world. Find out which countries are still testing the reduction of the working week, and which states have already approved the updated work schedule for their employees

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On the last Friday of October 2024, the government of Iceland announced that the country could become the first state in the world where the four-day work week will be officially approved and become the standard. The experiment of reducing working hours without reducing wages has shown excellent results: the level of employee burnout has decreased and unemployment has reached one of the lowest rates in Europe.

However, Iceland is not the only country that is working on introducing a shortened working week. Four day work week news from different countries of the world is further in our new material.

What is a 4-day work week?

As the name implies, the four-day workweek is a work schedule that allows employees to perform their job duties for four days instead of five, leaving people with an extra day off.

However, in each individual case, work can be organized differently, for example, for some employees, the length of the working week in general is reduced. Otherwise, workers must work the same number of hours, but over four days.

However, it is worth noting that in most countries the "100-80-100" principle works - the employee receives 100% of the current salary for working 80% of their time in exchange for 100% of productivity/production.

Which countries of the world have already introduced a four-day work week

Iceland may become the first country in the world to officially introduce a four-day work week for all employees, but it is not the only country where the four-day work week is gaining popularity:

  Belgium

In November 2022, Belgium passed a law allowing four-day working hours, giving people and companies more freedom to organize their working hours. The state became the first European country to legislate a four-day working week.

Over two years, the percentage of personnel who chose to work under a shortened schedule increased by 56.5%. Employees work either 9.5 hours per day for a 38-hour work week, or 10 hours per day to meet the requirements of a 40-hour work week.

- What is required for employment of an expat in Belgium in 2024, read at the link.

United Arab Emirates

From July 1, 2023, all civil servants in the United Arab Emirates can work a four-day work week.

- Find out from the link where foreigners work in the UAE, what the conditions are and what package of documents you need to have for moving.

Iceland

Iceland officially switches to a four-day work week. According to research, the majority of workers in the country accepted the proposal to shorten the working day, including a four-day work week. This decision had a positive effect on the economy of Iceland, which developed faster than most European countries.

It is noted that the unemployment rate in the country is also one of the lowest in Europe. The study showed that the reduction of the working week does not lead to a decrease in the salary of employees.

- Read here what expats should know about working in Iceland.

Lithuania

There is no single law establishing a four-day work week in Lithuania. However, in 2021, a decree was passed that allowed parents with young children to work only 32 hours a week (the average working week in the country is 40 hours).

- What types of work visas are issued in Lithuania, what are the requirements and the procedure for obtaining them, we told in this article.

France

Despite the fact that a four-day working week is not established at the legislative level in France, local companies are increasingly offering their employees this type of work format.

This policy is related to the fact that in 2000, France established a law on a 35-hour work week. The French Ministry of Labor reports that 10,000 workers in France already work a four-day week, as working four 8-hour days works out to 32 hours per week, which is only slightly less than the number of hours most workers work.

- How an expat can find a job in France in 2024, as well as the specifics of the labor market and obtaining a work visa in this article.

Countries experimenting with the four-day work week

Many countries around the world are actively experimenting with the four-day work week, and some of these experiments are quite successful.

Germany

According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), the average working week in Germany is 34.2 hours. However, trade unions continue to call for further reductions in working hours. Recently, an experiment aimed at shortening the working week ended in Germany, where 73% of companies that participated in the program switched to four-day work.

Portugal

Portugal is one of the latest countries to allow the selection of its workforce for testing. In June, 6-month testing began with the participation of 39 corporate companies.

Almost three quarters of Portuguese workers work more than 40 hours a week. Portugal has the third longest working week in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, so it will be interesting to see how this affects productivity.

Participating companies are expected to follow the “100:80:100 model”.

Great Britain

The trial of the four-day working week took place in the UK, involving 61 companies and more than 2,900 employees.

Notably, 92% of participating companies continued the four-day week after the study was completed. 18 participants of the experiment confirmed immediately after the study that this became a permanent change in their company's policy.

USA

In 2022, 900 workers from 33 US companies participated in a four-day trial workweek over six months. According to CNBC, participants rated the experience 9.1 out of 10, while 97% said they wanted to keep the four-day work week.

South African Republic

On March 1, 2023, South Africa launched its own trial of the four-day work week, involving 28 businesses located in that country and one in neighboring Botswana.

After testing was completed, most companies said they wanted to continue operating under the new arrangements, and only three companies stopped doing so entirely.

To move, travel or work safely in a new country, you will need health insurance. You can apply for an extended policy on our website here.

Japan

Despite the fact that work is the meaning of life for the Japanese, the experiment with shortening the working week was also carried out in this country.

Back in 2019, Microsoft Japan conducted an experiment with its workforce to see if a four-day work week would benefit people and businesses.

The results were simply incredible – test participants were approximately 40% more productive after their hours were compressed, with far better results than in the same month last year.

However, this trend has not yet gained popularity throughout the country.

Canada

In 2022, 41 companies in Canada with 11-25 employees reduced their work week. The only condition was to make sure that it would not negatively affect the work.

After the trials were completed, 35 companies out of those 41 reported that they either planned to keep the changes or were leaning toward it.

Brazil

The trial of the four-day work week in Brazil is just gaining momentum, it began on September 4, 2023. 20 companies are participating in the trial, and all of them employ more than 400 workers.

South Korea

In September 2024, South Korea launched a 4-day, week-long trial involving 50 organizations in Gyeonggi province to tackle the culture of attrition in the country.

This is in stark contrast to last year's proposal to increase the country's maximum working week to 69 hours (from 52), which was met with sharp criticism and quickly rejected.

Which countries in the world have the shortest working week?

In addition to the introduction of the four-day work week, there are a number of countries in the world that are gradually reducing the total number of working hours required for work.

For example, Denmark has one of the shortest working weeks in the world, where employees are required to work at least 33 hours per week.

In the neighboring Netherlands, the working week is even shorter - the average working week in the Netherlands is only 29 hours. This is the shortest working week in Europe.

No one can beat the island nation of Vanuatu, where the average working week is just 24.7 hours.

Four day work week advantages

The experiment of reducing working hours without reducing wages has shown excellent results: the level of employee burnout has decreased and unemployment has reached one of the lowest rates in Europe.

BusinessTech also reports that the experiment showed a 40% reduction in stress, 75% burnout, fewer sick days and improved work-life balance.

77% of respondents chose a shortened week to have more time for their personal life, 36.5% to reduce workload, and 29% to spend more time with their children.

Shorter working week policies in countries are aimed at attracting talent, because in order to get the best employees in 2024, you need to provide your employees with a certain level of flexibility to keep them happy while they work for your company.

We will remind you! When moving to another country, you should consider the salary, because it will ensure the comfort of your life. So, in which countries of the world do they pay the most? We have already talked about the top countries with the highest salaries for expats in 2024 and which countries should expect the maximum salary increase.

Igor Usyk - Head of Migration department at VisitWorld

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