Narayan AmmachchiThe Dominican Republic embarked on a six-month pilot program to test if a four-day workweek can reduce workers’ stress levels without impacting productivity.
Under the program, participating workers from both private and public companies are working from Monday to Thursday, clocking in for 36 hours instead of the standard 44. This 20% reduction in working hours comes with no pay cuts.
This project isn’t a lone endeavor in the region. Brazil and Chile have already implemented legal frameworks for four-day workweeks. Uruguay and Mexico are actively considering similar models.
Proponents of the four-day workweek suggest it fosters a better work-life balance, leading to reduced stress and improved employee well-being.
The UK implemented its own trial program in 2022, with positive results. It was reported that 91% of the companies involved in the trial stuck with the four-day workweek after seeing worker stress falling by 70%.
The Dominican Republic’s Labor Minister, Luis Miguel De Camps, pointed to those results as the main reason for their own attempt.
Researchers in the Dominican Republic will assess the program’s impact on productivity, employee well-being and company adaptability six months after its inception.
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