Belgium is offering employees in the country the right to negotiate for a four-day workweek, as a global re-evaluation of work-life balance sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic continues.
The change, part of a package of labor-law reforms proposed by the federal government, will allow employees to work more hours per day to forgo a fifth workday, Belgian officials said at a press conference Tuesday.
Employers can refuse to grant employees’ requests for a shortened workweek, but must give “solid reasons for any refusal,” said Pierre-Yves Dermagne, Belgium’s deputy prime minister and minister of the economy.
Mr. Dermagne said the proposed reforms will result in improved work-life balance and be a booster for employment.
“Workers will be given the right to solicit for more flexibility in their workweeks from employers,” he said, offering “a more flexible way for people to take care of their private lives.”
A number of companies in Belgium have already moved ahead with a four-day workweek, but the proposed modifications to the labor laws would open that possibility to all workers, Mr. Dermagne said.
Belgium’s newest coalition government, headed by Flemish liberal politician Alexander De Croo, has prioritized labor-market reforms since coming into office in October 2020.
In much of the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has called into question long-held views about the structure and nature of work, including—for some—the traditional five-day, 40-hour week. Remote arrangements freed employees of some constraints in 2020, but it also sparked burnout as some put in even longer hours. Many workers are demanding improved work-life balance as they return to the office.
Some smaller, privately held U.S. companies have experimented with shorter workweeks but widespread adoption of a condensed schedule hasn’t occurred.
A few dozen U.K. companies are currently experimenting with four-day workweeks as part of a pilot program also under way in Australia and New Zealand. Spain’s government said last year it would pay companies to test out a four-day week.
The United Arab Emirates became one of the first countries in the world to implement a shortened workweek for government employees at the beginning of this year, with the weekend officially beginning at noon on Friday each week.
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Belgium is offering employees in the country the right to negotiate for a four-day workweek, as a global re-evaluation of work-life balance sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic continues.
The change, part of a package of labor-law reforms proposed by the federal government, will allow employees to work more hours per day to forgo a fifth workday, Belgian officials said at a press conference Tuesday.
Employers can refuse to grant employees’ requests for a shortened workweek, but must give “solid reasons for any refusal,” said Pierre-Yves Dermagne, Belgium’s deputy prime minister and minister of the economy.
Mr. Dermagne said the proposed reforms will result in improved work-life balance and be a booster for employment.
“Workers will be given the right to solicit for more flexibility in their workweeks from employers,” he said, offering “a more flexible way for people to take care of their private lives.”
A number of companies in Belgium have already moved ahead with a four-day workweek, but the proposed modifications to the labor laws would open that possibility to all workers, Mr. Dermagne said.
Belgium’s newest coalition government, headed by Flemish liberal politician Alexander De Croo, has prioritized labor-market reforms since coming into office in October 2020.
In much of the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has called into question long-held views about the structure and nature of work, including—for some—the traditional five-day, 40-hour week. Remote arrangements freed employees of some constraints in 2020, but it also sparked burnout as some put in even longer hours. Many workers are demanding improved work-life balance as they return to the office.
Some smaller, privately held U.S. companies have experimented with shorter workweeks but widespread adoption of a condensed schedule hasn’t occurred.
A few dozen U.K. companies are currently experimenting with four-day workweeks as part of a pilot program also under way in Australia and New Zealand. Spain’s government said last year it would pay companies to test out a four-day week.
The United Arab Emirates became one of the first countries in the world to implement a shortened workweek for government employees at the beginning of this year, with the weekend officially beginning at noon on Friday each week.
Biggggggggggggger progress