A 4-Day Work Week? A Study Out of Iceland Proved It’s Actually Doable
Is it the beginning of the workweek and you’re already asking yourself why it can’t be Friday? Five day-long workweeks have always been the norm, and if it’s making you want to bash your head into a desk or throw your laptop out a window, then I have some good news for you.
Four-day workweeks have been talked about in recent years, but a study out of Iceland shows that not only is it possible, it’s already making waves across the country.
Frozen Beauty
From fiery volcanoes to icy vistas, and colorful northern lights that dance across the sky, Iceland is famous for its natural beauty. It also has quite the reputation for being a progressive country to call home.
Iceland—including its Nordic neighbors of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland—provide a generous social safety net for its citizens, including a thriving economy, healthcare system, and income equality. They’re even known for their generous paid parental leave.
It's Not All Great News
However, not all is glorious in the nation. In contrast to its neighbors, Iceland is unfortunately plagued with long working hours and lags behind when it comes to a healthy work-life balance, therefore also resulting in lower productivity. In fact, the report says “it is not uncommon to hear Icelandic people often say they feel as though they are left with little time for themselves and their families.”
So with that in mind, the government and brains behind the study decided to put their theory to the test.
The Icelandic Study
This study was authored by Guðmundur D. Haraldsson and Jack Kellam with the help of the independent think tank group Alda and Autonomy (Association for Democracy and Sustainability). It also included the city council of Reykjavík and, later, the Government of Iceland. The study was conducted due to recent conversations throughout Europe regarding shorter workweeks, and because the work-from-home trend has ushered in a “new normal,” it's accelerating the importance.
“These trials not only aimed to improve work-life balance but also to maintain or increase productivity,” reads the study.
Trial Run Parameters
The two trial runs lasted from 2015–2019 and eventually grew to involve over 2,500 workers (1.3% of Iceland’s entire working population). Many of these employees moved from a 40-hour to a 35- or 36-hour working week. It involved your typical nine-to-five workers and those on shift schedules, and took place in a diverse range of workplaces, such as offices, government facilities, schools, social service providers, and hospitals.
Also important to mention is that the shorter workweek did not result in lower pay for employees.
“An Overwhelming Success”
So how did the trials go? They were referred to as "an overwhelming success."
While the trials were not cost-free, they did challenge the long-held belief that reducing work hours would also lower productivity. The Icelandic trials showed that in actuality, participants had greater morale at work, maintained or even increased productivity, suffered from less stress and burnout, participated more in home duties, had greater physical and mental well-being, and spent more time with their families.
What It Means Going Forward
The Icelandic trials were so successful that it’s now pushed forward a wave of positive social change throughout the country. As of June 2021, 86% of Iceland’s working population are now on contracts that have either moved them to shorter working hours or given them the right to negotiate it in the future.
As one trial participant put it, “[A shorter working week] is the future…there is no going back.”
Following In Iceland’s Footsteps
Similar trials will now be taking place in other countries, such as New Zealand and Spain, while researchers have called on other nations to follow in Iceland’s footsteps.
“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,” said Will Stronge, Autonomy’s director of research.
Could It Be Possible Here?
So for us across the Atlantic over in North America, could the possibility of a four-day workweek be on the horizon?
While a few Twitter users voiced their skepticism due to North America’s corporate-first mentality, only time will tell if the practice will be adopted here. But for now, Iceland has set the precedent, and that’s a monumental achievement for everyone.