ICELAND
No Harm, No Foul
Two trials of a four-day workweek in Iceland were hailed as a success, with researchers describing the study as a “blueprint” for future trials in other countries, according to CBS News.
The Association for Sustainable Democracy (Alda) in Iceland and the UK-based think tank, Autonomy, published a report of two large-scale trials that took place from 2015 to 2019.
The trials included 2,500 workers – roughly one percent of Iceland’s working-age population – and were run by the government and one of the country’s major trade union confederations, Euronews reported.
Workers that participated worked 35 to 36 hours per week and were paid the same in spite of working fewer hours, the study noted.
Researchers explained that that the trials were “an overwhelming success,” noting that a four-day workweek reduced the levels of stress and burnout among workers. They added that “productivity and service provision remained the same or improved across the majority of trial workplaces.”
The authors suggested that the Iceland trials prove that it is possible to work less in modern times.
“Our roadmap to a shorter working week in the public sector should be of interest to anyone who wishes to see working hours reduced,” said Gudmundur D. Haraldsson, a researcher at Alda.
The four-day working week has become a salient topic for many nations in recent years, particularly following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Currently, Spain is planning on conducting its own three-year trial later this year. The project will use €50 million from the EU’s coronavirus recovery fund to compensate 200 mid-size companies taking part.
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