Overview
4 Day Work Week in Portugal
Portugal has recently initiated a government-backed four-day workweek trial. This 6-month pilot program, which began in June 2023, involved 41 private-sector organizations and more than 1000 employees.
The trial aimed to assess the impact of reduced working hours on various aspects, including employees mental health, work-life balance, economic performance, and social and environmental effects.
The trial was coordinated by 4 Day Week Global in collaboration with researchers from Birkbeck, the University of London, and Henley Business School.
Participants in the program were committed to maintaining full pay for their employees while reducing their weekly working hours.
Portugal 4-Day Workweek Trial Results
The Portugal trial has yielded significant positive results. Workers have reported improvements in work-life balance, reduced stress, and lower levels of burnout. Moreover, companies have seen an increase in creativity and overall performance.
Employers Outcomes
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Positive company evaluations: 95% of companies participating in the trial have evaluated it positively so far.
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Stable or increased revenue: Companies reported that revenue increased or stayed the same.
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Enhanced recruitment: Companies have found it easier to attract new talent.
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Increased workplace happiness: The degree of apparent happiness in the workplace has increased, with employees enjoying a better
work-life balance. -
Improved work quality: The capacity and quality of work have increased with the greater number of days off.
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Managing workloads: To handle greater workloads, employees have increased their productivity during the shorter workweek.
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Productivity and turnover: Productivity and turnover are at least the same or higher, demonstrating the effectiveness of the reduced workweek model
Employees Outcomes
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Reduction in weekly hours: On average, the four-day week involved a reduction in weekly hours by 13.7%.
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Company evaluations: 95% of companies participating in the trial have evaluated it positively so far.
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Actual hours worked: Workers reported a reduction in the number of hours per week actually worked by 11.3%, dropping from 41.1 to 36.5 hours.
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Mental health improvements: The frequency of negative mental health symptoms decreased significantly:
- Anxiety levels fell by 21%
- Fatigue decreased by 23%
- Insomnia or sleep problems reduced by 19%
- Depressive states dropped by 21%
- Tension lowered by 21%
- Loneliness declined by 14%
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Work exhaustion: Levels of work exhaustion were reduced by 19%.
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Work-life balance: The percentage of workers who found it difficult or very difficult to reconcile work and family responsibilities fell from 46% to 8%.
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Family time: 65% of workers spent more time with their families after the reduction in working hours.
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Job satisfaction: 85% of workers stated they would only agree to move to another company with a five-day work week if they received a pay rise of at least 20%
