4 DAY WEEK BECOMING A REALITY AROUND THE GLOBE

摘要

Just a few months ago, the 4 Day Week was at a global tipping point, exciting but still largely theoretical; now, it's a reality, with announcements from Spain that the government is supporting a nationwide trial of a 4 Day Week. Under the terms of the pilot programme, the government has agreed to a proposal from political party Mas Pais to allow companies to test cutting workers' hours to 32 hours per week. As part of the trial, the government is likely to cover 100 percent of companies' costs for the first year, 50 percent for the second year, and 33 percent for the third year. The 4 Day Week movement has steadily picked up speed over the three years since I designed the 100:80:100 social and economic model (100 percent productivity in 80 percent of the time for 100 percent pay) and trialled it at Perpetual Guardian in early 2018. The extent of global interest in, and activity around, the 4 Day Week has brought me into a quasi-political role at home and abroad: I have met with business leaders in Spain and with senior politicians in New Zealand, the UK and elsewhere; and am helping 'design' the 4 Day Week as a member of the advisory boards of the US and Ireland 4 Day Week campaigns and the board of the newly created Wellbeing Research Centre at Oxford University. The events of the past 12 months have refocused leaders on solving problems by changing how people work. India's government has announced its plans to introduce new labour codes and rules that will give flexibility to companies looking to implement four-day working weeks. In the southern hemisphere, global accounting firm PwC will shift most of its 8,000-strong workforce in Australia to a 4 Day week by May 1. Additionally, employees who have children have the option to take a leave of absence and receive 20 percent of their normal pay (anywhere from one to six months); all employees are permitted to set aside "protected" hours of the day for family reasons, without meetings or assignments; and other entitlements are available including $2,000 in child or elder care reimbursement.