Whether a 4-day work week is a realistic possibility in Luxembourg

The answer to this question is yes. The experimental schedule has already appeared, but so far only in one company — Flibco. This mode is active for more than a month. It was announced by the representatives of the company on LinkedIn.

In other words, the company has agreed to a 4-day work week for 1 year for all employees based in Luxembourg. At the same time, they will keep 100% of their salary.

The idea of switching to 36 hours instead of 40 has been floated several times in the highest political circles. In January, Labor Minister Georges Engel said the idea could be attractive. According to the politician, it will help attract and retain more foreign professionals.

However, his vision of a "shortened working week" is somewhat different from the generally accepted one: the minister proposes 4 days of 9 hours instead of 4 days of 8 hours. Perhaps that is why this initiative has not been warmly received and supported. It should be noted, however, that Flibco has introduced a 32-hour working week.

Also, the new rules cannot be implemented so easily. The current schedule was agreed upon in the 1970s, and switching to a different one is not an easy task. In addition, the government has already launched studies that will shed light on the most important questions: will this transition be effective, will it improve the quality of work and life of workers, and will it have a positive impact on the country's economy?

According to the latest data, the 4-day workweek will have a positive impact on all areas of business. Like remote working, which set a new standard during the pandemic and will be here to stay, the 32-hour week may well have a regenerating effect on business:

• The risk of employee burnout is reduced;
• Productivity is increased and time is used more efficiently;
• Reduce employer costs for building maintenance and utilities;
• It will be easier to attract new professionals and retain old ones.

Companies around the world are already beginning to adopt the new system. Here are some of the largest:

1. Basecamp. The company introduced remote work 10 years ago and is now transitioning employees to a 4-day work week;
2. Bolt. In January 2022, Bolt officially introduced a four-day workweek with an extra day off on Friday;
3. Buffer. The company quickly responded to the pandemic by moving its employees to remote work in May 2020, and afterward to 4-day work;
4. DNSFilter. In October 2021, introduced the concept of three-day weekends every two weeks;
5. G2i. Implemented the 4-day week on a permanent basis as it promotes a relaxed working environment;
6. Goosechase. Switched to 4 days in 2021 and despite some difficulties noted that the benefits are much greater;
7. Nectafy. Introduced 32 hours back in 2020 before Covid. Now 100% of employees work remotely;
8. Panasonic. One of the largest electronics manufacturers in the world has set 3 weekends in January 2022;
9. thredUp. They moved to 32 hours pretty quickly — back in 2021;
10. Uncharted. The company introduced a shorter working week back in 2020 and actively supports the work-life balance of its employees.

Read more about Luxembourg's labor market in our Knowledge Library.