The four-day working week as a solution to the labor shortage in Europe, according to the European Commissioner for Employment

More productivity, employee well-being…and a possible solution to the labor shortage? The idea of ​​a four-day work week is progressing – and is already being tested in some companies. The European Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, Nicholas Schmidt, proposes to publish them in sectors with Attraction difficulties [des employés] », V says Interview with the Portuguese news agency Lisa Posted Thursday, May 25th.

Nicola Schmidt considers it The biggest problem [dans l’Union européenne] Not much unemployment Rather, a shortage of manpower. “Many industries desperately need employees and can’t find them because people don’t want to work there or don’t have the right skills,” He says. They should become more attractive.According to Luxemburger who indicated that “It’s something that is gradually progressing (…) Because the new generations have a certain vision of the balance between work and personal life. However, he cautions ‘There is no common position’ within the European Union on this issue.

This approach requires, according to Mr. Schmidt, “Negotiations between social partners” And take Germany, for example, where the country’s largest union, IG-Metall, pleaded for several years To popularize the four-day week in the metals sector.

This announcement comes at a time when Portugal will launch a pilot project four days a week, on a voluntary basis and without loss of income. 46 companies have expressed interest in implementing this reform – most of them have up to ten employees, five of them employ more than 1,000 people, and operate in the sectors of consulting, scientific activities and technologies, or information and communications.

In France, some companies – still very much in the minority – have adopted the four-day-week system, which is also being tested in some public services, such as Urssaf or the National Pension Fund (CNAV).