KEY POINTS
- Japan implements a four-day workweek for government workers from April 2025
- The global push for a four-day workweek follows the 100-80-100 model
- Countries like Iceland, Denmark, and the Netherlands have seen major success with shorter workweeks
- Germany, Belgium, and the UK have launched trials and legal frameworks
ISLAMABAD: In a major policy shift aimed at tackling Japan’s demographic challenges, the Tokyo government has announced the introduction of a four-day workweek for public sector employees, effective from April 2025.
The move is designed to improve work-life balance and help address the country’s declining birth rate. A new “childcare partial leave” policy will allow working parents to shorten their workday by two hours to better manage parenting responsibilities.
Countries embrace four-day work revolution
For a long time, the idea of having a three-day weekend every week seemed like a dream—something that only happened on holidays.
But now, that dream is slowly becoming a reality. As work habits change around the world, especially after the pandemic, more people are supporting the idea of a four-day workweek.
The idea is based on a simple plan called 100-80-100: workers get 100% of their pay, work 80% of the time, and still get 100% of their work done.
This idea is being promoted by a group called 4 Day Week Global, and it started gaining attention in Germany in 2023. Since then, it’s spread to places like the UK, Spain, and Portugal.
It’s not just new tech companies trying this—some of the world’s happiest and most advanced countries like Iceland, Denmark, and the Netherlands are already seeing success with shorter workweeks.
The results include less burnout, better mental health, and even higher productivity. It’s more than just fewer hours—it’s a new way of thinking about work.
Japan: A solution to shrinking population
In Tokyo, a new policy has kicked in. Starting April 2025, government employees will move to a four-day workweek—part of a broader effort to improve quality of life and tackle Japan’s plummeting birth rate.
The government has also introduced a new “childcare partial leave” allowing parents to cut two hours from their workday.
Governor Yuriko Koike emphasized the need for flexibility, especially for women juggling work and family.
In Japan, where women still do five times more household work than men, this shift aims to encourage a more balanced distribution of responsibilities at home.
While promising, experts like Julia Hobsbawm warn that no single model fits all cultures—each must find its own rhythm.
Belgium: From law to lifestyle
Belgium led Europe by officially passing a four-day workweek law in 2022. Employees can now compress their 40-hour week into four days without losing pay.
Add to that the legal “right to disconnect,” and workers are no longer expected to respond to late-night emails or weekend pings.
However, the change isn’t automatic—both employer and employee must agree, and the setup is reviewed every six months to ensure it’s working for both sides.
Germany: Smart work, not hard work
Germany’s trial in 2023-24 included 41 companies—and the results were overwhelmingly positive. Nearly three-quarters of participants plan to keep the four-day model.
A country known for its precision and productivity, Germany proved that less time at work doesn’t mean less work done—it simply means smarter work.
Businesses saw no drop in productivity, no financial losses, and no surge in absenteeism.
Iceland: The quiet pioneer
Long before the world took notice, Iceland had already laid the groundwork. Between 2015 and 2019, public sector employees cut their weekly hours to 35–36 without losing a krona.
By 2022, over half the workforce was on reduced schedules. The outcome? Better mental health, stronger productivity, and a healthy 4.1% GDP growth rate. Iceland quietly proved that less can truly be more.
Denmark: Work less, live more
While Denmark hasn’t formally adopted the four-day week, its average workweek is already just 37 hours. Danish culture embraces hygge—a cozy balance of work and life.
Workers enjoy up to five weeks of paid vacation, ensuring they have time to rest, recharge, and reconnect. Productivity thrives when people are happy—and Denmark has long known that.
Australia: A new wave down under
In August 2022, 26 Australian companies signed up for a pilot of the four-day week. While still early days, the response shows a growing appetite for change.
Australia is rethinking its rigid routines and testing models that prioritize quality of life alongside performance.
Spain: Creative calendar reforms
Spain’s experiment took a unique approach. In Valencia, public holidays were strategically lined up to create four-Monday months—offering 360,000 workers a taste of the shorter week.
Meanwhile, the national government launched a €50 million incentive program encouraging businesses to join a formal three-year trial. While full-scale adoption is still uncertain, the groundwork has begun.
UAE: A bold Gulf shift
Sharjah, UAE made headlines in January 2022 by becoming the first emirate to implement a four-day workweek for public sector workers.
Though not yet a federal policy, the move has sparked conversation across the Gulf. Early results show greater employee happiness, stronger family connections, and higher work satisfaction.
Netherlands: The undisputed champion of balance
With an average workweek of just 29 hours, the Netherlands leads the world in work-life balance.
Dutch law even gives employees the legal right to request part-time work unless employers can prove a valid business reason to refuse.
The country’s long-standing focus on flexibility and fairness is an example others are now following.
United Kingdom: A trailblazing trial
The UK ran the world’s largest four-day workweek pilot in 2022. More than 60 companies and nearly 3,000 workers took part—and the verdict was clear.
From small shops to big tech firms, most businesses reported maintained (or improved) productivity and better morale. Many of those companies have since made the change permanent.
