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Discover The Challenges, Economic Impacts, And Brazilian Opinions On The Controversial Replacement Of The 6×1 Scale With The 4×3 Scale. Can This Model Really Work In Brazil Or Is It Just An Illusion?
The viability of the 4×3 scale in Brazil generates intense debate among workers and entrepreneurs. In a recent poll on X (formerly Twitter), conducted in February 2025 ( Check Here), 985 people voted. While 56.8% believe that this change would be economically viable, 43.2% disagree.
Therefore, the results indicate that the population is divided on this possible change in the work model. However, the impact of this substitution goes far beyond personal opinions, as it involves productivity, operational costs, and even the continuity of essential services.
Countries That Adopted The 4×3 Scale And Succeeded
Currently, some countries, like Iceland and Spain, have already tested the 4×3 scale. As a result, they found significant gains in productivity and workers’ quality of life.
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He sold his share for R$ 4 thousand, saw the company become a giant worth R$ 19 trillion, and missed the opportunity of a lifetime.
However, this experience may not fully apply to Brazil. According to the site “BBC News”, in a report published in September 2023, Iceland conducted tests with reduced working hours between 2015 and 2019. The result was an increase in productivity without negative impact on companies’ profits.
However, the same report highlights that these results depended on a high level of automation and the adaptation of corporate culture. These factors still face challenges in Brazil. As Nelson Carmelinho pointed out, “the countries that adopted this model showed an increase in productivity, but Brazil has not grown in this aspect for years”.
Thus, without a real advance in production efficiency, this scale may not bring the same benefits observed abroad.
Additionally, the structure of various sectors of the Brazilian economy may make this transition even more complex. Essential services, such as health, commerce, and transportation, require continuous operation.
Therefore, the adoption of the 4×3 scale in these areas could create operational difficulties. According to the site “G1 Economia”, in a survey released in November 2024, the commercial sector in Brazil accounts for 23.5% of GDP. This sector is highly dependent on continuous working hours to meet the population’s demand.
In this context, Destro Hummer questioned how service in workshops, beauty salons, or medical offices would work if many companies operated only from Monday to Thursday. Thus, this change could directly harm consumers’ routines.
Can The 4×3 Scale Generate Extra Costs For Companies?
At the same time, the economy also needs to be considered. Initially, the need to hire more employees to cover the unworked days could increase companies’ operational costs.
As a consequence, Silvio A M Torres warned that employers could divide salaries among more workers, leading to the degradation of the job market. According to the site “Valor Econômico”, in an article from October 2024, 80% of small Brazilian companies face difficulties in covering labor costs.
This could make the 4×3 scale even less viable for smaller businesses. Thus, instead of improving quality of life, the new model could force many professionals to seek multiple jobs to maintain their income.
Moreover, the advancement of automation in the labor market also influences this debate. After all, as Cristiano Neves pointed out, “more and more machines will replace workers, as they do not miss work, do not get sick, and do not need benefits”.
According to the “Global Automation Study” published by the World Economic Forum in January 2025, the expectation is that by 2030, about 30% of operational functions in Brazil will be automated. This will directly impact the need to review working hours.
Given this reality, concerns about the 4×3 scale may become less relevant in the future, as mechanization is likely to increasingly affect traditional employment.
On the other hand, high taxes remain a determining factor in workers’ quality of life. In this context, Rogério Bèrtoli stated that “the real problem is not the work scale, but the 67.3% tax burden on wages”.
According to the “2024 Global Competitiveness Report” from the World Bank, Brazil remains among the countries with the highest tax burden on payrolls, exceeding countries like Mexico and Chile. Thus, without tax reform, any change in working hours would hardly bring real benefits.
Could Flexibility In Working Hours Be The Solution?
Despite all these difficulties, some believe that flexibility could be the best solution. Thus, Sandro Poersch suggested that “the best thing is to let everyone choose, but knowing that they receive according to what they worked”.
According to a study published by the site “UOL Economia” in December 2024, 45% of Brazilian workers would prefer a more flexible working scale, even if this implied a variable remuneration model.
Therefore, instead of imposing a single model, this approach would allow employers and employees to negotiate working conditions according to the reality of each sector.
Finally, although the 4×3 scale may seem like an advancement for many, its implementation in Brazil still faces structural, sectoral, and economic obstacles.
However, the debate continues, and the final decision will depend on the pursuit of balance between productivity, costs, and operational viability.
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