European Union Country Embraces a Six-Day Work Week

Greece Introduces Six-Day Workweek to Address Declining Productivity and Skilled Worker Exodus In an effort to combat shrinking productivity amid an exodus of skilled workers, Greece has taken bold steps to revitalize its struggling economy. The Greek government has paved the way for more businesses to implement a six-day working week, making it the first EU member to enact such a measure. Effective as of July 1, the legislation allows private businesses offering round-the-clock services and those facing high workloads to adopt the six-day workweek. Employees in sectors like food service and tourism are exempt from this requirement. Within this new framework, workers in specific industries and manufacturing plants have the option to work an additional two hours daily or an extra eight-hour shift. In return for their sixth day of work, employees receive a bonus of 40%, which escalates to 115% for work performed on Sundays and holidays. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has championed this initiative as a means to counter the country's declining productivity stemming from a shrinking population and a dearth of skilled labor. He emphasized the growth-oriented and employee-friendly nature of the legislation following its approval by the Greek parliament. Productivity woes have plagued the Greek economy since the 2009 debt crisis, leading to a recession and a surge in unemployment. European Commission data highlights that Greece's labor productivity per working hour is nearly 40% below the EU average. Notably, the country boasts one of the longest average working weeks in Europe at 39.8 hours, outranked only by Romania and Cyprus. Despite this, Greece's minimum monthly wage of €830 ($887) places it 15th within the EU, impacting its purchasing power, which stands second to last in the block. Comparatively, the average working week across the EU in 2023 was 36.1 hours, underscoring the unique challenges and strategies being attempted within Greece to address its economic situation.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News