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Experiment proves benefits in productivity and employee well-being. Companies say they will not return to the traditional model
The global movement for reduction of working hours is gaining momentum, and Germany stands out by testing the week of four days work in a groundbreaking experiment. Companies from different sectors joined the projectWith the aim to understand the impacts of this change on productivity, employee well-being and business operations. Now, with the work-hour reduction experiment complete, the results are impressive: 73% of companies chose to keep the reduced week and do not intend to return to the traditional five-day model, according to the website IGN Brasil.
How the test worked with the 100-80-100 model
The German working hours reduction experiment followed the 100-80-100 format, successfully tested in countries such as the United Kingdom and Portugal. In this model, employees receive 100% of the salary, work 80% of the hours and commit to 100% of the productivity. Divided into two phases, the experiment began with initial six-month adjustments, so that companies could adapt routines and test new practices. In the final phase, the changes were fully implemented, offering a more accurate view of the results.
Throughout the test, some companies chose to reduce working hours evenly, while others adapted the schedule according to the operation of each sector. Furthermore, in some cases, the week was 4,5 days, which provided flexibility in breaks and improved the organization of tasks.
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Diversity and representation in the experiment
To capture a comprehensive view, 45 companies participated in the experiment reducing working hours, with representation from different sizes and sectors. From small companies with less than 10 employees to large corporations with more than 250 employees, diversity included areas such as technology, insurance, commerce and education. This diverse set allowed the experiment to reflect unique challenges and opportunities in each segment.
Increased Productivity and Improved Quality of Life
With the reduction of working hours, many companies have managed to maintain, and in some cases even increase productivity. Optimization practices were key to this success, including reducing meetings: 60% of companies reduced the frequency and duration of meetings. Furthermore, 25% of participants invested in new digital tools that accelerated internal processes, resulting in greater agility in day-to-day operations.
In terms of well-being, employees reported significant gains. About 50% noticed a significant improvement in quality of life, while 31% saw a slight improvement. Only 6% of respondents said they had not noticed any changes. Outside of the workplace, many employees reported getting more sleep and exercising more, which helped reduce stress and increase their energy levels. With this balance, employee retention also increased, indicating a more positive and healthy work culture.
Fake
We are all clowns in this great circus called Brazil. Only 300 companies showed interest, but only 40 were willing to actually test the model. And none of them are from the industrial sector. Then comes the so-called “expert” with the talk of home office. Which manufacturing company makes home office work viable??? And another thing, making all this fuss is giving the people a diploma of ****, because they keep announcing this as if it were a “law”, but in practice, it is a BILL, which has not even been voted on, and besides, it does not oblige anyone, quite the opposite, it ALLOWS the company to decide whether to adhere to the model or not. In short, the workers of companies in the interior and several others in the productive sector must fight and accept the rigid reality.