Only four working days a week; Spain is set to become the first country in the world to launch the scheme
MADRID: There is good news coming from Spain for all those working in the public and private sectors. The good news is that Spain will now be the first country in the world to trial a four-day working week. The Spanish government is implementing the proposal of the left-wing party Más País. The COVID-19 pandemic that emerged last year sparked the idea for a four-day working week.
The government, which includes the Socialist Party and the anti-austerity Podemos, as well as Más Pas, will offer financial assistance to companies that adopt the reforms. Financial assistance of €50 million will be provided over a period of three years. The government has decided that the reduction in working hours should not lead to pay cuts or job losses. The financial package has also been announced to help companies in this regard.
Businesses with fewer than six workers will not receive financial assistance from the government. Last year, the Spanish software company Delsol implemented a four-day working week. The company says the result was high productivity, full attendance and a happy workplace.
The government also declared that delivery riders for platforms like Deliveroo and UberEats will be given the same benefits and privileges as other workers.
Spanish people work more than the European average. However, productivity is not high. Party leader of Más País, Iñigo Errejón said working hours is not the criterion for productivity.
Héctor Tejero, political coordinator of Más Pas, said the experiment would start as early as autumn and that details would be published by the government in the coming weeks.
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