IPS: Four-day work week could support sustainability and employee wellbeing

A reduction of the working week to four days, with employees receiving full pay, could contribute to the long-term sustainability of work, company growth, and employee wellbeing, according to a new report by the Institute for Politics and Society (IPS). The think tank, founded in 2014 by the ANO movement, argues that both international and Czech pilot projects have shown positive results, including higher efficiency, stable income, and improved mental health.

The IPS study highlights the so-called 100-80-100 model – full wages for 80% of the time in exchange for 100% performance – as a promising framework. It recommends that the government support pilot programmes, monitor their outcomes, and adjust legislation accordingly. Trade unions are also expected to push for shorter working hours in the coming years. However, some employers and policymakers warn that a transition may be difficult in the Czech Republic due to labour shortages, particularly in industry.

The report draws on international examples. In Britain, a 2022 pilot with more than 60 companies found that 92% of employees wished to keep the shorter week, with reported declines in burnout and improvements in mental health. In Iceland, a nationwide test between 2015 and 2019 reduced working hours without cutting wages. The trial coincided with continued GDP growth, and by 2022, more than half of workers had moved to shorter schedules, supported by government investment in digital infrastructure.

Czech firm Sherpas introduced a four-day working week in 2019 and reported stable productivity, greater efficiency, and improved recruitment. In Poland, city-owned companies and offices are currently testing a 35-hour week for 18 months. In the United States, pilot projects confirmed gains in company income and employee satisfaction, with seven out of ten workers saying they would not return to longer hours without a significant pay increase.

Not all reforms have proven effective. In Belgium, legislation passed in 2022 allowed employees to compress their standard working hours into four days, but without reducing total hours. Less than 2% of workers adopted the model, with extended daily shifts proving unpopular.

The IPS recommends that the Ministry of Industry prioritise investment in digital infrastructure and that the Labour Ministry consider trials of a shorter work week in the public sector. It also calls for legislation covering the right to disconnect, remote work standards, and shorter working hours.

The institute notes that the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of flexible work and digitisation, and stresses that such flexibility is key to attracting and retaining younger workers. Surveys conducted last year suggest that around 60% of Czech employees would welcome more opportunities for remote work.

Source: IPS and CTK