Work fewer hours to live better. This is the philosophy behind the proposal for a four-day working week with no reduction in pay. The idea is not new, but it has returned with force at a time when work-life balance, mental health and productivity have become central to social and economic debate.

At the beginning of the 20th century, economists and trade unionists were already arguing that technological progress should make it possible to reduce working hours. Henry Ford, considered by many to be an eccentric visionary, was one of the first industrialists to establish the five-day, 40-hour working week. Time proved him right: productivity grew, as did consumption, fuelling a new economic model that is still the benchmark today.

A century later, Spain maintains its official 40-hour working week, but with performance below the European average. According to CaixaBank Research, GDP per hour worked is only 76% of the eurozone average. Despite working longer hours than many of our European neighbours, presenters continues to weigh heavily: we still value time spent sitting in the office more than the results achieved. The pandemic shook up this model. Teleworking and flexible hours proved that production could take place without constant physical presence, placing mental health at the centre of the labour debate.

International experiences

Some countries have turned the four-day week into a social and economic laboratory. Iceland is one of the most cited cases: between 2015 and 2019, trials were conducted with some 2,500 workers. The success was such that 86% of the working population subsequently agreed to reduced or modified working hours. The results were overwhelming: less stress, better work-life balance and productivity that not only remained stable but in many cases increased.

The United Kingdom tested the four-day week in 2022 with 61 companies and nearly 3,000 workers. According to the Autonomy report, 92% of companies decided to keep it after the trial period. The main reasons: improved employee well-being and talent retention. In addition, business revenues grew by an average of 1.4% during the period.

Spain: first steps

In our region, the Valencian Regional Government has been a pioneer in promoting aid to local councils and companies that want to try out the four-day working week, although so far this has only been good intentions in the eyes of the public. At the national level, there have been proposals to subsidise small and medium-sized enterprises, but a comprehensive plan has not yet been implemented with full efficiency. Some private companies, such as Delsol, Desigual and Telefónica, have explored flexible working hours, but without implementing a full four-day week.

Pros and cons

Advocates of shorter working hours highlight many benefits: improved health and well-being for workers, more time for family and training, reduced emissions due to less transport and, paradoxically, an increase in real productivity. In international pilot schemes, reduced stress and burnout have been a constant.

However, it is not all roses and violets. Sectors that require continuous attention, such as healthcare, hospitality and retail, find it difficult to implement this change. Small businesses may find themselves overwhelmed if they are unable to reorganise shifts or expand their workforce. And there are those who warn that concentrating the same workload into fewer days may increase stress rather than reduce it.

A debate about the future

The four-day working week is much more than a question of schedules: it is a debate about how we want to distribute time and wealth. In a world where artificial intelligence and automation can further reduce the need for human labour, the key will be to distribute the benefits of this productivity and ensure that they reach everyone.

What seemed utopian a century ago is now perfectly feasible. The big question is not whether it works — studies and experience already prove that it does — but whether we will have the political and business courage to make it happen.

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