When the UK conducted the world’s largest trial for a four-day work week between June and December last year, it found that most participating companies decided not to revert to the regular five-day standard. Sweden and Iceland have conducted similar trials.
Spain is currently offering to subsidise the wages of companies that take part in its upcoming experiment. France famously introduced the 35-hour week in 2000, to reduce high rates of unemployment and to right the work-life balance. The idea has been floating around for a while. In 2019, Microsoft tested a four-day work week, with no loss in pay, in Japan. Productivity went up almost 40%.
So, why isn’t it the norm yet? And what about India?
The good
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