To date, Switzerland has not adopted the 4 day work week nor taken part in a 4 day work week pilot program, although some Swiss unions are campaigning for the change. In Switzerland, there is still some skepticism surrounding the idea of the 4 day work week, especially for large businesses.
Although Norway hasn't officially adopted the 4 day work week, at 34 hours, Norway's work week is shorter than many other countries.
South Korea's government is seeking to pass reforms that would allow employees to work up to 69 hours a week. Its government insists it will enhance work-life balance, but not everyone is convinced.
The fight for working conditions continued throughout the 19th century. It was not until 1916 that the Eight Hours Act was passed in Victoria and New South Wales. It would not be until January 1948 that the Commonwealth Arbitration Court approved a 40-hour, five-day working week for all Australians.
In 2020, the developed nation with the longest working hours was South Korea. In fact, weekly working hours in this country were longer than in any other OECD country except Mexico and Costa Rica, mainly due to official efforts to boost economic growth.
Working Hours in Australia
But on average, the Australian working week is 36 hours, Monday through Friday. For trade occupations, the work day is usually from 7 AM until 3:30 PM. Office working hours are typically from 9 AM until 5 PM.
United Arab Emirates
On January 01, 2022, the UAE began a short work week that is 4.5 days (36 hours) long, with flexible hours and work-from-home options on Fridays.
38 hours. the employee's ordinary hours of work in a week.
Japan. In 2021, the Japanese government's annual economic policy guidelines included a recommendation that companies let employees opt for a four-day workweek and, by extension, a 3-day weekend.
Iceland: One of the leaders in the four-day working week
Between 2015 to 2019, Iceland conducted the world's largest pilot of a 35 to 36-hour workweek (cut down from the traditional 40 hours) without any calls for a commensurate cut in pay. Some 2,500 people took part in the test phase.
Denmark. At 33 hours per week, Denmark has 2nd shortest average workweek in the world, an OECD report suggests. Denmark, too, doesn't have formal rules for it but most people work only four days a week in the country.
As it stands, four-day positions are yet to become common in Singapore. They are mostly limited to shift-based jobs, which pay by the hour. Looking at the broader work environment, it's tough to imagine significant changes anytime soon. For a lot of Singaporeans, even a five-day work week has proven out of reach.
Employees in Sweden are allowed to work 40 hours per week. Beyond this, they must receive overtime pay. The maximum number of hours per week is 48 averaged over a four-month period.
There are no statutory rules on the number of standard working hours in Denmark. As a general rule, working hours are mandated through a collective agreement (if any), or the employment contract. The majority of sectors have 37 hours weekly. Usual working hours are Monday to Friday, from 8 or 9 AM to 4 or 5 PM.
The UAE had last year cut its workweek to four and a half days, with Sharjah going for a full three-day weekend. This makes the Emirates the first country to have a four-day workweek by law.
Working life in China is usually centred on a 40-hour week spread across five days (most often Monday to Friday). General banking hours are Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm. A standard working day is eight hours long.
The Australian Services Union (ASU) has secured an agreement with Oxfam Australia to introduce the four-day working week at full-time pay – the first such arrangement in the country to be formalised within an Enterprise Bargaining Agreement.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, minimum wage growth in Australia is strong, as the average weekly earnings increased from 20.33 AUD to 21.38 AUD over the past year.
What is the shortest shift you can legally work? For most Australian industries, the minimum hours for shift work are 2-3 hours and are dependent on the initial employment contract. It may be the case that even if you roster an employee on for a 2 hour shift, you have to pay them for at least 3 hours of work.
Mexico is the most overworked nation globally, with an average yearly workday of 2,148 hours. A full-time employee in Mexico clocks in at roughly 48.5 hours per week. Moreover, a quarter of Mexican workers clock in more than 50 hours a week. Only $16,298 per year is earned by the typical American worker.
When it comes to happiness, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland make up the top three, suggesting that great work perks and a work-life balance makes people happier in their lives.