Belgium’s government now offers working people the chance to condense their full-time workweek into 4-days. But what are the benefits? Different countries have been experimenting with this model. Like Iceland between 2015 and 2019. Workers of the four-day workweek reported feeling less stressed, less at risk of burnout, and said their health and work-life balance had improved. They also reported having more time to spend with their families, do hobbies and complete household chores. The trials led unions to renegotiate working patterns. Currently 86% of Iceland’s workforce have either moved to shorter hours for the same pay or will gain the right to.
Among generations, Millennials and Gen Z also quest for flexibility at work, including more freedom to choose when to work. 22% of Millennials and 19% of Gen Z workers said that they would look to leave employers that didn’t prioritize offering flexible working practices or supporting healthy work/life balance for their people. Millennials see flexibility as the most critical employee characteristic for successful businesses.
In current society, many working people experience a disrupted work-life balance, which has even become worse due to the pandemic. With so many people dropping out, many brands and governments try to support people in maintaining or remaining good mental well-being. Offering flexibility in how we want to spread our 40 hours a week could be beneficial to brands in both: attracting younger employees and improving people’s mental well-being.
