Should Israel adopt a 4-day work week? Yes! Here is why.

As published in The Jerusalem Post.

One hot global topic is the 4-day work week concept. It has even spawned a not-for-profit organization (4 Day Week Global) to provide a platform for supporting the idea, and research, of the 4-day week as a part of the future of work.

In the United Kingdom a total of about 2,900 employees across the country have taken part in the pilot program which started June 2022. Surveys of staff conducted before and after found that 39% said they were less stressed, 40% were sleeping better, and 54% said it was easier to balance work and home responsibilities. Of the 61 companies that entered the six-month trial, 56 (92%) have extended the four-day week pilot, including 18 (30%) who have made it permanent. Additionally, the number of sick days taken during the trial fell by about two-thirds and 57% fewer staff left the participating firms, compared with the same period a year earlier. The vast majority of companies reported that they were satisfied with productivity and business performance over the trial period.

Even the UAE has modified its work week. As of January 1, 2022, it adopted a 4.5-day work week. The transition is “in line with the UAE’s vision to enhance its global competitiveness across economic and business sectors, and to keep pace with global developments,” the Abu Dhabi government media office said in a statement. “The extended weekend comes as part of the UAE government’s efforts to boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing, while increasing performance to advance the UAE’s economic competitiveness,” the state news agency WAM report said. Under this new model, employees will have to complete an eight-hour workday from Monday to Thursday but are only expected to work only for 4.5 hours on Friday. Government employees will also be allowed to choose “flexible work or work-from-home options” on Fridays.

In nearly all the world, the 5-day work week is Monday through Friday. In Israel, however, the work and school week is shifted to Sunday through Thursday, and sometimes, adding a half-a-day on Friday.

The 4-day (32-hour) work week concept shines a light on possible solution for the religious populations in Israel. An Australian based Muslim journalist wrote an article in the April 16th issue of the Guardian entitled “A four-day work week could help communities of faith – and us all” where he “observed they seemed torn between the pressing demands of professional life and a deep-rooted spiritual satisfaction.” While the author was referring to Muslims, by inference he could be referring to any religious observant person trying to balance the pressures of the modern work environment and the obligations of one’s religion.

In Israel, especially for religiously observant Jews, the shifted 5 and 5.5-day work and school week does not provide that life-work balance and extra day for activities with family or friends, let alone enough time for chores or errands.

Many Soccer games, and other competitive sporting events, are scheduled on the Sabbath. The busy days at beaches, marinas, and other fun places, are Fridays, well into the Sabbath evening, and Shabbat day. As I write this, I am confronted by my devastated and confused young grandson, whose regional swim meet is scheduled on an upcoming Shabbat.

This deprives those who are religiously observant of these life/community experiences, which in turn imposes additional pressure on those who might want both, to unfairly have to choose between religion and a better life-work balance.

Why? Because the Shabbat and the 5-to-5.5-day work or school week leaves no free time to take part in various leisure activities, necessary for social development, household responsibilities, and even for job productivity. Having such free time available is a proven result of the employee satisfaction resulting from aforementioned UK pilot program.

In answer to the headline in Euronews.next‘s February 23 article “Four-day week: Which countries have embraced it and how’s it going so far?” the following was listed: Belgium (introduced February 2022), Scotland (trial to begin 2023) and Wales, Sweden (tested 2015), Spain (pilot started December 2022), Iceland (90% of the working population now have reduced hours or other accommodations), Germany (shortest work week in Europe), Japan (big corporations involved), New Zealand (currently trialing), and strong interest being raised in the US and Canada.    

While it is not a perfect fit for every type of business, the benefits of a four-day work week demonstrate that it is most definitely worth exploring. Many other countries recognize and are getting on the four-day work week bandwagon, not for religious reasons but for better employee productivity, as well as job and life satisfaction.

Another important reason for Israel to explore joining this global movement can be seen by some recent distressing Israeli economic statistics.

A McKinsey & Company report on Israel’s Productivity Opportunity (January 17, 2023) offered some key findings. Here are just a few: (Author’s emphasis in italics.)

• Israel’s economy has grown faster than many other comparably advanced economies, fueled by a strong, globally oriented high-tech sector. However, it [Israel] has a significant productivity gap that constrains economic potential and has limited growth in GDP per capita.
• Israel’s productivity, as measured in GDP per hour worked, is about 40 percent lower than the average of the top half of OECD economies.
• Israel’s economy needs to become more competitive and dynamic. Global rankings suggest the business environment is overly regulated, protectionist policies hinder the ability of foreign competitors to enter the Israeli market, digitization is lagging, and both public and private sector could be doing more to modernize.

These conclusions are further confirmed by the Bank of Israel (BOI) in its annual report, released and covered in the Globes news on March 28, 2023. Dr. Eyal Argov, head of the Macroeconomics and Policy Division in the Bank of Israel's Research Department observes that “…labor productivity in Israel is still low in comparison with [OECD] countries, and raising it is one of the main challenges that the economy faces." He continued by emphasizing that "raising labor productivity is the key to a continual rise in the standard of living…”

Compare these distressing conclusions by the BOI and McKinsey to the results of the UK pilot 4-day work week and the global responses covered in the eruonews.next article, both referenced above.

To the question should Israel adopt a 4-day work week? It seems that based upon the improved productivity trends and proven benefits to employees and employers, quality time for families/friends and personal religious spiritual satisfaction, Israel should explore and test a 4 and 4.5-day work week for both business and government organizations. Are we going to lead or follow in the new global initiative for the future of the work environment? The Israeli people are waiting.

 

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