Will We Work Four Days a Week?

In July 2025, the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry conducted a survey on the potential transition to a four-day workweek, subject to the mutual consent of employers and employees, while maintaining a total work duration of 40 hours per week.

The survey yielded the following results:

• 31% – Yes, it will positively impact productivity
• 27% – Rather support it, provided salaries are not reduced
• 16% – Neutral – businesses should decide for themselves
• 13% – Rather opposed – the economy requires maximum employment
• 13% – No – impractical under current wartime and economic conditions

Thus, a majority of respondents – 58% – view this innovation positively.

For reference, the average actual duration of the workweek in the European Union is 36 hours. However, in some countries, this figure is significantly lower. For example, the average workweek is 32.1 hours in the Netherlands, 33.7 hours in Norway, 33.9 hours in Germany, Denmark, and Austria, and 34.5 hours in Belgium.

Poland has taken a groundbreaking step in labor reform: starting from July 2025, the country launched a pilot program introducing a shortened workweek – four days or 35 hours – without any reduction in pay.

In terms of economic sectors, the longest actual workweeks in the EU in 2024 were recorded in agriculture, forestry, and fishing (41.2 hours), mining and quarrying (38.8 hours), and construction (38.7 hours). Meanwhile, the shortest workweeks were in education (31.9 hours) and arts, entertainment, and recreation (32.9 hours).

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