Scottish Government urged to introduce four-day working week

Would you be in favour of a four-day working week?

The Public and Commercial Services Union has urged the Scottish government to consider a four-day working week post-pandemic. The Daily Record reports that 9 out of 10 employees is for the move that would show the jobs “can be better for workers” once the pandemic concludes.

Think-tank Autonomy said a poll of a sample of more than 2,000 Scottish Government employees showed that 87% favoured a four-day working week. The majority of staff questioned (84%) believed they could “adapt their work processes in order to suit a shorter working week”.

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Across the world, other alternative work environments have been introduced. A recent social study in Iceland was an overwhelming success, and very soon other countries could follow suit.

Gudmundur D. Haraldsson, a researcher at Alda, spoke about their findings:

“The Icelandic shorter working week journey tells us that not only is it possible to work less in modern times, but that progressive change is possible too,”

“Our roadmap to a shorter working week in the public sector should be of interest to anyone who wishes to see working hours reduced.”

Will Stronge, director of research at Autonomy, also commented on the research:

“This study shows that the world’s largest ever trial of a shorter working week in the public sector was by all measures an overwhelming success. It shows that the public sector is ripe for being a pioneer of shorter working weeks – and lessons can be learned for other governments.