The Government of Japan is considering the possibility of transition to a four-day working week to improve the quality of life of the population. It is reported by Daily Mail.
The authorities think that the reduction in working time will also spur the tourist industry of the country, which has greatly suffered from the coronavirus pandemic. In the country, they want to test the “selective system of three-day weekly weekends”.
The government notes that people need to keep the balance between work and personal life. Three weekends will help them, for example, to care for children or elderly relatives. Another plus is that the Japanese will travel more, writes the publication. In addition, suicide is a serious problem in Japan, long hours of work are often referred to as the cause of depression.
In 2019, Microsoft Japan conducted a three-day experiment with a four-day, which showed an increase in labor productivity: 40 percent was performed more than usual.
Earlier, the Ombudsman on compliance with entrepreneurs’ rights in the field of observance of labor legislation Dmitry Porchochkin proposed to test the four-day on volunteer companies during the year, and in the State Duma recognized the inevitability of the abbreviated week.
Discussions about the four days go in Europe. Last December, the Spanish Ministry of Labor acted as a proposal to reduce working time.