Four-day work week pilot starts

Crioestaminal, Onya Health and Evolve are to join 39 companies and 1,000 staff taking part in a pilot to test the feasibility of operating a four-day work week in Portugal.

The pilot, which starts today and is promoted by the government, will run for 15 days. The three companies have publicly confirmed their participation, and thereafter other companies will be involved every 15 days.
From a total of 46 companies that have gone onto the second phase — initially around 90 had shown an interest — only 39 will take part in the pilot. Seven companies and 19,000 staff fewer than in the previous phase have advanced to the pilot which will last for six months.
“The number signed up for the pilot project in Portugal mirrors the situation internationally. The European pilot project has 20 European companies. In England 61 companies have pressed ahead with the experience and in the United States the pilot was launched with 30 companies, as in New Zealand”, said the Minister of Employment, Ana Mendes Godinho.
The companies that have decided to be involved are spread out over 10 districts with Lisbon, Porto and Braga being the main locations. The Government has not revealed which of the organisations have advanced to the pilot phase, only that they include a research institution, a creche, a day centre, a stem cell bank, and companies in the sectors of industry, commerce and the social sector.