The metropolitan skyline of Reykjavik, Iceland, is dominated by residential complexes. Getty Images | Arnaldur Halldorsson | Bloomberg Iceland’s long-running trial of a reduced working week has been hailed as a “overwhelming success,” with the vast majority of the country’s workers now having acquired contracts to reduce their hours. According to a research examining the trial’s impact, by June 2021, 170,200 union members out of Iceland’s 196,700 working population were covered by shortened working hour contracts. According to the report, published Sunday by think tank Autonomy and research organization Association for Sustainability and Democracy (Alda) in Iceland, 86 percent of workers are now on shorter hour contracts or have “new mechanisms made available to them through which they can negotiate shorter hours in their workplace.” Between 2015 and 2019, Iceland conducted two large-scale trials, reducing working weeks from 40 to 35 hours for many people, with no pay drop. The trials were started by the council in Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, and the country’s national government, and eventually encompassed 2,500 workers. The experiments took held in a variety of settings, including offices, playschools, social service providers, and hospitals, and involved both 9-5 and non-standard shift workers. Following the trial, Icelandic trade unions and their confederations were able to secure permanent work-hour reductions for tens of thousands of members across the country. According to the findings of Autonomy and Alda’s investigation, a reduction in working hours actually maintained or enhanced production. The study found that the “world’s largest ever trial of a shortened working week in the public sector was by all measures an astounding success,” according to Will Stronge, Autonomy’s director of research. “It demonstrates that the public sector is well positioned to be a leader in reduced workweeks — and lessons can be learned for other governments,” he said. Throughout the trials, data was collected on characteristics such as happiness, performance, and work-life balance. Workers’ welfare and work-life balance increased as a result of the findings, as people found it easier to perform domestic errands and set aside more time for themselves, for example. After the study began, men took on additional responsibilities around the house, which helped to alleviate tension at home, according to the research. “The capacity to draw on evidence from existing experiments of a ‘four-day week’ or similar schemes will become increasingly vital for supportive workers, organizations, and governments,” Autonomy and Alda wrote in their paper. Spain is planning to test a four-day workweek, while other countries such as Japan, New Zealand, and Finland have expressed interest in the idea. Look into: This year, more Americans are taking longer vacations; here’s how to save money on a long trip./n
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