Also the Germany head there working week di four days instead of five. In an era characterized by rapid change and increasing demand for flexibility, the German government, under the leadership of Olaf Scholz, has launched an initiative that allows employees to 45 companies choose to adopt a working week of just four days for the same salary. A project led by the Berlin management consultancy Intraprenör with the collaboration of the non-profit organization 4 Day Week Global (4DWG). This innovative approach aims to evaluate the impacts of a reduction in working hours on the productivity and well-being of workers.
Berlin, currently grappling with steadily declining productivity growth since 2017 and a shortage of manpower, could find an interesting solution in the short week to reinvigorate its employment landscape. If it were able to demonstrate a positive impact on corporate productivity and employee well-being, it could exert a positive influence on corporate strategies and employment policies in various European contexts, proposing itself as an innovative model for addressing the challenges of the contemporary world of work.
Short week: where are we in Italy?
In recent years they have also launched similar experiments Spain, Iceland, Sweden, Finland e Kingdom Unito. And theItaly? While there are no legislative changes or large-scale experiments yet, some Italian companies are gradually adopting the four-day working week. Intesa Sanpaolo was among the first, involving around 28 thousand employees, of which 70% chose this option. Recently, Lamborghini signed a union agreement that provides for a rotation between a five-day and a four-day work week, while Essilor Luxottica offers employees the opportunity to work four days a week for 20 weeks a year.
According to Istat estimates, a reduction in working hours could have positive effects on company productivity. Experts suggest that the shorter working week could also improve employees' mental health. As economist Pedro Gomes points out, “The workweek is a social, political and economic construct that should evolve as societies change.”
