Valencia 4 Day Work Week
Valencia has become the first city in the world to implement a 4-Day Work Week Trial. Let's discuss the pilot in more detail
4 Day Work Week in Valencia
Valencia became the first city in the world to trial a 4-Day Work Week when four consecutive bank holidays fell in a row.
Specifically, the public holiday for the feast of San Vicente Mártir, the city's patron saint, was moved from January 22 to April 14 to initiate this study meaning citizens enjoyed 4 consecutive Mondays off. . This trial took place from April 10 to May 7, 2023.
Alongside this trial, the Spanish government has also initiated a 4-day workweek trial where approximately 200 companies and 3,000-6,000 employees are expected to participate.
Trial Results
The sole purpose of this 4-day working week trial was to analyze the impact of a shorter work week on the city's residents.
As it has opted after the success of the pilot 4-day workweek program from different countries, this program was expected to bring in lower burnout rates, higher productivity, improved work-life balance, and an overall improvement in well-being.
In total, 360K people took part in a 4-day week experiment. Here are the results of the study:
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Benefits
- Stress Reduction: Participants reported a 35% decrease in stress levels.
- Improved Sleep: 64% of participants experienced an increase in their sleep duration.
- Increased Socializing: 72% devoted more time with friends.
- Physical Activity: 37% noted a rise in physical activity.
- More Reading: 46% spent more time reading.
- Environmental Benefits: 9.5% decrease in traffic in Valencia, 58% reduction in NO2 air concentration on day off Economic Impact: Hospitality and leisure sectors saw benefits due to people using extra free time for dining out and social activities. Increased local trips within the city.
Downsides
- Alcohol and Tabacco: Slight increase in tobacco and alcohol consumption.
Overall the experiment was hugely successful, showing substantial evidence of the beneficial effects of a four-day workweek on employee health and the overall dynamics of the city.
Working Hours in Valencia
A 40-hour work week is a norm in Valencia. A typical work day in Valencia, Spain, is divided into two halves by A Siesta. Siesta is a 3-hour long midday break.
The working hours are from 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The next shift starts at 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. and goes up to 8:00 p.m.
During this long break, most people go home for meals, naps, and enjoy time with their families. Monday to Friday are the official working days, while the private shops are also open on Saturday.
4 Day Work Week in Spain
In conjunction with the Valencia 4-day workweek pilot, the Spanish government agreed to invest 50 million euros (the equivalent of $60 million) into a three-year, 4-day workweek trial program.
Approximately 200 companies and 3,000-6,000 employees are expected to participate. Employees will work 32 hours a week without pay reduction. The country’s government will cover 100% of the companies’ costs in the first year, 50% in the second year, and 33% during the final year of the trial.
Wrapping Up
Overall, the 4-day workweek experiment in Valencia and other countries indicated positive results regarding productivity and well-being.
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