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Trade unions welcome a reduction in working hours with the same pay. The model can be implemented for associations, but not across the board.
The five-day week has only been the dominant working model since the middle of the last century – and yet it is increasingly being questioned. All over Switzerland, various companies have tried out a four-day week in recent months, says Mirjam Brunner from the Unia union.
Reduction in working hours with the same wages is fair for the union
There have been attempts not only in offices, in the IT sector or at advertising agencies, but also in hospitals and restaurants. “There are a wide variety of companies that find a way to introduce a four-day week with shorter working hours and are successful with it.”
A wide variety of companies have found a way to successfully introduce a four-day week.
Working for just four more days with the same salary not only sounds good, but is also fair, says Brunner. The productivity of the economy has risen faster than wages in recent years. So it’s time for the employees to get something back in the form of more free time, said the trade unionist.
Same performance in four days instead of five
It’s all well and good if individual companies can afford it, says Jonas Lehner from the employers’ association. But for most companies, a four-day week is simply not feasible. “It is difficult where there are, for example, presence or shop opening times.”
The four-day week becomes difficult where there are, for example, presence or shop opening times.
But a four-day week would also make the situation more difficult for companies that have no presence time or that have to coordinate appointments and meetings, says Lehner. Employees would also have to perform the same in the new four days as they previously did in five days, says Lehner. In many places, however, the processes are already so efficient that this is hardly imaginable.
Widespread introduction unlikely
A four-day week can work, but implementing it is challenging, says Ursula Häfliger. She is working on the issue at the Swiss Commercial Association and is particularly holding companies responsible: “Companies that introduce this have to adapt all processes so that it works.”
Companies that introduce the four-day week have to adapt all processes to make it work.
Häfliger does not expect the four-day week to be introduced across the board in Switzerland. “A big factor in Switzerland is that we have widespread part-time work.” In other words: Many Swiss employees have already introduced a three- or four-day week by reducing their working hours, but have also foregone their wages.