Recently, we've heard more and more about the planned shift from a five-day work week to a four-day work week. More and more businesses are beginning to adjust to the need to ensure employees have personal time while also combating burnout.
The general trend, which is widely reported in the media, is to shorten weekly working time standards – from the current 40 hours in an average five-day working week to either 35 hours in an average five-day working week (thus reducing working time to 7 hours a day) or to shorten the working week by one day – to a four-day week.
The above may seem abstract, but it's worth remembering that some countries already operate this way. Furthermore, many companies are opting to limit working hours within their operations, without any centrally imposed standards. This is believed to increase employee productivity.
Greece, however, took a step in the opposite direction, introducing the option of extending the working hours of some employees to 48 hours (and thus, in practice, to a six-day work week). It is worth noting, however, that this decision may have stemmed from the crisis that the country has been facing for many years.
In Poland, options for reducing working hours are still being considered. It seems that reducing working hours to 35 hours is a more realistic option, as trials are already underway. It's worth emphasizing that even if the law isn't amended, it's possible that some businesses will change their internal working time policies on a grassroots level, as the Labor Code stipulates maximum working hours, not rigid standards.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
Legal status as of July 19, 2024
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