A new report by Taxback.com has found that seven in 10 workers in Ireland would keenly welcome a four-day work week being implemented in the country, but what are the chances of this actually happening?
The new Taxpayer Sentiment Survey looked at people’s views on a four-day working week, an idea that has been trialled in many businesses throughout the country and successfully implemented in some other countries.
It was found that while seven in 10 respondents would greatly welcome the change in their lives, 17% claimed they’d rather keep to the status quo, and the remainder expressed some concerns over how it would work in practice.
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The survey also found that the new Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) scheme which recently came into force would make a positive impact on the work life of employees.
To this point, employees had no legal right to be paid while on sick leave from work. However, as of January 1, 2023, under the scheme, workers have the legal right to three days’ sick pay per year, of up to €110 per day.
The scheme will be phased in over a four-year period starting with three days of paid leave in 2023 to 10 days in 2026. Five in 10 welcomed the positive impact the new sick pay law will have on them.
The survey also revealed that four in 10 respondents reported having “dragged” themselves to work in the past while sick.
What are the chances of a four-day workweek actually happening? Marian Ryan, Consumer Tax Manager with Taxback.com suggested that the data from the survey shows people value healthy work-life balance.
He said that the majority of people believe there are significant benefits to this work week, signalling that the workforce is taking its “first step into a new age of work in Irish society”.
“The research shows the value people place in a healthy work-life balance,” Marian said.
“Most people believe there would be significant benefits to a four-day work week in terms of work-life satisfaction and well-being.
“Employee stress, burnout, and fatigue are all certainly being given more consideration by employers, and a greater focus is being placed on people having more time to engage in meaningful activities such as hobbies, exercise, and spending time with family.
“We may be taking the first step into a new age of work in Irish society”.
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