The planets could be aligning for a shorter work week, as European Parliament member Pierre Larrouturou of Nouvelle Donne and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group, observes a growing interest in the four-day work week. Advocates on both the left and right are increasing, and experiments are being conducted in France and abroad. An overwhelming 84% of the French population is in favor of a four-day work week, according to a 2023 survey by GetApp.
In light of this growing interest, Larrouturou, who has long been a proponent of the four-day work week, has proposed a manifesto titled “32h! La semaine de quatre jours, c’est possible” (Seuil). This manifesto aims to highlight the benefits of a shorter work week and outlines how it should be implemented. While there are different ways to structure a four-day work week, Larrouturou argues against simply spreading the same number of hours over four days, as suggested by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. Larrouturou believes that a reduction in the number of work days should also come with a decrease in the total number of hours worked.
However, Larrouturou acknowledges that the transition to a 32-hour work week may be met with resistance and skepticism. He seeks to demonstrate the seriousness of the proposal by pointing to historical supporters such as Michel Rocard, who saw a shorter work week as a way to balance economic efficiency with social well-being. Larrouturou also highlights the example of over five hundred French companies that have successfully implemented a four-day work week without affecting prices or product quality.
In terms of financing a shorter work week, Larrouturou references the model introduced by the 1996 Robien law, which provided an exemption from unemployment contributions for companies that increased hiring as part of the transition to a shorter work week. By incentivizing job creation through this mechanism, Larrouturou believes that the costs associated with a shorter work week can be managed effectively. This approach was used until the implementation of the 35-hour work week at the beginning of the 21st century.
Overall, Larrouturou’s manifesto and advocacy for a four-day work week come at a time when the idea is gaining traction in political and public discourse. With a significant majority of French citizens in support of a shorter work week, and with experiments being conducted to explore different models of implementation, the debate over reducing the number of work days per week and its potential benefits for both employees and businesses is likely to continue to evolve in the coming years.
