Pilot program for 4-day work week begins in Brazil with 20 companies; Meet the participants The future of work

You have one 4 working days a week It’s a good deal for Brazilian companies? There is still no definite answer, but the project 4 days a week Brazil Intends to discover how new business model It can be applied within the reality of companies in the country. Starting next month with the participation of 20 companies, the pilot project will be implemented by the non-profit organization 4 days a weekwhich also coordinates similar projects in countries such as New Zealand, the USA, the UK and Portugal.

Here the initiative also includes consultations Reconnect happiness at workthe Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGF) and Boston College. The idea is for the pilot to serve as a survey among SMEs, in order to study how best to implement the new working model (32 hours per week) in each organization – and verify the results later.

• The study found that with a 4-day work week: employees are happier and companies earn more
• Companies in Portugal will test a 4-day working week

“A lot of people really want to know the results of a shorter work week. But this needs to be tested. The idea is to reimagine work as it should be, and then shape new models for the future,” says Gabriela Brasil, Head of Community at 4 Day Week Global.

Companies that participate

This Wednesday (30), at the launch event of the program, the companies that will participate in the test were presented (some requested to remain anonymous). Check names:

• Indianopolis Hospital;
• Publishing finance;
• Smart duo;
• Thanks for the post;
• oxygen.
• shifting fog;
• Accounting consultations related to genetic resources;
• food;
• AB Aeterno;
• Soma group;
• brazil bolts;
• Innovim Consulting;
• Inspires technology;
• PN video calling;
• Clementino and Teixeira;
• Blong Consulting;
• Fukan.

According to Renata Rivetti, CEO of Reconnect Happiness at Work, the number is still expected to rise. “Some companies still sign up. It’s our Brazilian way of leaving everything until the last minute,” he joked.

Plans must be customized

For Renata, it is important that the companies participating in the 4-day test flight understand some of the basic rules of the model. First: The salary will not decrease. The adopted working model is 100-80-100. In other words: pay 100%, work 80% of the time, and maintain 100% productivity.

Another important detail is that there is no set schedule for all companies. Each organization will have a customized work reduction plan – which will be evaluated during the first three months of the project. So, not every company will adopt Short Friday, for example.

“It’s not just about reducing the working day,” Renata explains. “There has to be a redesign of the business model as a whole. Otherwise, employees will end up being more burdened to get everything done in less time. That’s not the intention.” . “Everything is meant to be shorter and more productive. This is a very important step towards revolutionizing the world of work, enabling changes in performance within our roles, making the workday more productive and, at the same time, healthier.”

Results outside Brazil

Although this initiative is unprecedented in Brazil, it has traveled to other countries in order to collect data and understand how the new model works in each reality.

In the UK, where the pilot was implemented in 2022, the result revealed that 39% of employees felt less stressed, 54% found it easier to balance personal and professional lives, and employee turnover decreased by 57%. Additionally, 15% of participating employees said that any pay increase would not return them to a 5-day workweek. For the company, there was a 1.4% increase in revenue.

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