Iceland: test to reduce the workweek to four days was a “great success” Reduced stress, improved health and better performance at work

At Iceland a trial to reduce workers’ workweek to four days. The results – published on the UK portal Autonomy – were “a resounding success”, according to the researchers, and it is already producing a change in working patterns in other countries. For example, the Icelandic Association for Sustainability and Democracy (Alda) opened the discussion on the implementation of the new regime in UK.

The experiment developed its “pilot” between 2015 and 2019 in Iceland, at the town hall of the capital, ReykjavIk, and concerned 2,500 people (more than 1% of the country’s working population), whose weekly working hours were reduced to 35 or 36 hours -without reduction in salary-. Office workers, school personnel, hospital and social service employees constitute the universe of workers studied.

Conclusion

As the results indicated, workers demonstrated reduced stress, improved health, and even increased job performance in almost all groups.

Will Stronge, Research Director of Autonomy, noted that “this study shows that the world’s largest experience in reducing working time in the public sector it has been a resounding success in all respects. “

“REshows that the public sector ready to start working week reduction and that other governments can learn lessons. “

Gudmundur D. Haraldsson, researcher at Alda, stressed that “the reduction of the Icelandic week tells us that it is not only possible to work less in these times, but also that gradual change is possible”.

Indirect consequences

As a positive side effect, many males, increased their participation in household chores. On the other hand, productivity and the level of service provision has remained the same or improved in most workplaces, as has the income declared by the state.

Since the end of the experiment, 86% of the Icelandic population have worked fewer hours or can apply for the new work model. Indeed, the unions Iceland they are already negotiating the reduction of working hours for the same salary and they will soon have the right to do so.

Similar experiments are being carried out in other parts of the world, such as New Zealand – where the Unilever company in New Zealand offers its workers the possibility of reducing their hours by 20% without reducing their wages; In Spain, the deputy Iñigo Errejón of the More Country party presented a similar project; Yes In Japan companies have been recommended to apply the same reduction to four days to overcome the pandemic crisis, reduce the suicide rate and improve the quality of life of residents.