A six-month programme to test out a four-day working week is set to get underway today.
The trial is aimed at testing the effectiveness of a four-day working week in Ireland and is being led by the
Four Day Week Ireland campaign. Four Day Week Ireland say that the system would lead to a better work/life balance and to increased company productivity. Employees involved in the scheme will receive the same amount of pay as normal.
Businesses who wish to get involved will receive training, supports and mentoring throughout the transition. Joe O'Connor, Chairperson of the Four Day Week Ireland, told RTÉ that the "four-day week pilot programme represents an exciting moment of change for employers and employees, and it’s up to the business community now to show that they are willing to lead and support this change for the better."
Four Day Week Ireland state that "Our medium term objective is to move towards the four day week being the standard work arrangement across the economy, with no loss of pay. As with the five day week today, it will not be the only work arrangement – For some sectors, employments and workers, different variances of reduced working hours and a shorter working week will need to co-exist alongside the benchmark of the four day week.
"We do not mean that everyone will have a ‘three day weekend’ – Strong management and clever rostering will need to ensure that businesses and public services can function for 5 or in some cases even 7 days, alongside a shorter working week for all workers."
(header pic: Shutterstock)
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