Mario Krivokapic’s Post

Iceland’s shorter working week has been a huge success – and it’s changed my family’s life writes María Hjálmtýsdóttir in The Guardian. Changes such as this to the way we work may sound impossible but they can be made if people come together and rethink the way work is done. For 90% of working Icelanders, a 36-hour week means less stress, more job satisfaction and time to enjoy life beyond work Through the centuries, women’s headstones have rarely had titles other than “Housewife” or perhaps “Wife of [insert husband’s job title]”. Although today women in Iceland have all sorts of jobs, we have yet to reach full equality. But an important step on that journey has been the shortening of the 40-hour working week to 36 hours. This change started in 2019 in response to campaigning by some of Iceland's biggest unions and following the success of trials that involved more than 1% of Iceland’s working population. As a result, close on 90% of the country’s working population now work shorter hours or have the right to shorten their working week. The change has also given many men who were always stuck at work the flexibility to be more involved with their children’s daily lives. It has definitely not been simple, and it does not apply to all jobs, but all qualitative and quantitative data indicates that most people who have reduced their hours love it – job satisfaction has increased, stress is reduced and employees feel happier at work. read more below: #iceland #shorterworkignweek #flexibility #worklifeharmony #futureofwork #systemschnagethinking #equity #equality https://lnkd.in/ePCmiUm2

The Government of Tokyo has announced a groundbreaking change in work policies, set to take effect in April 2025. Tokyo will be transitioning to a 4-day workweek, aiming to enhance work-life balance for its residents. During a recent policy speech at the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, Governor Yuriko Koike emphasized the importance of flexible work arrangements, particularly highlighting the positive impact on women in the workforce. To further support employees in managing their work commitments alongside childcare responsibilities, Tokyo plans to introduce the "childcare partial leave" system. This innovative initiative will allow workers to adjust their daily working hours by up to two hours, offering increased flexibility to effectively juggle their professional and personal lives. This, move underscores Tokyo's commitment to promoting a more inclusive and supportive work environment, aligning with the evolving needs of modern professionals. Stay tuned for more updates on this progressive shift towards improved work-life balance. Source: SIA Report #Tokyo #Worklifebalance #Innovation

Lazy Germans - work the least and complain the most?! What happened to "quality made in Germany"? Poor compatibility of work and family is the main reason for the decrease in productivity and innovation. There are concerns about the workforce lacking work ethic and being lazy, with the number of patents registered being the lowest in 20 years. And then there's the controversial debate around the 4-day workweek. Let's get the facts straight: Official data shows Germans work, on average, 34.7 hours per week. BUT: This number includes part-time workers. When onsidering only full-time workers, it jumps to 40.5 hours - right around the EU average. What are the real issues? 1. Lack of Childcare: Many mothers who want to work full-time cannot due to insufficient childcare. 2. Labor Market Mismatch: While companies like Continental, Bosch, and SAP are laying off employees, sectors like healthcare are in dire need of skilled workers. 3. Upskilling Employees: The job landscape is evolving. New initiatives are needed to help employees upskill and reskill for the future. 4. Work-Life Balance: In Germany, personal well-being is valued. Encouraging productivity while respecting life beyond work is essential. What are your thoughts?

I understand your points which are valid and sincere. However, they do not address the fact the system is just returning to its equilibrium. It was designed to do the things that as you say are both harmful to the worker and the company but the people who are running the company were awarded because they served the past full-time employee system well. The pandemic just shook up things for a while. The fact of the matter is the economic system here is driven by a fundamental distrust between workers and management. It is a lot easier for managers to pretend they are doing something with a bunch of people in a room than over a Zoom chat. Remember most people are addicted to busyness rather than accomplishing anything. This is especially true for managers the higher they move up the ladder. Face it most of the guys running companies don't do much that matters. Plato had something when taught the ruling class should be paid less and work harder than the underclass because of their privileges. Managers in today's world have all the power, most of the money and none of the real responsibility. Managing from home is probably quite taxing for a person who is used to doing nothing much and taking no responsibility.

🌟 Should law firms adopt a shorter working week? At Phoenix Legal Solicitors, we’ve embraced a 35-hour week over 4.5 days, finishing at 2 PM every Friday. This gives our team an extra half-day to prepare for the weekend, attend appointments, or head off for a getaway. The benefits are clear: 💼 happier staff, 🧠 better mental health, and 📈 increased productivity. 🌍 Meanwhile, Iceland’s move to a 32-hour work week (no pay reduction) has driven incredible results: ✔️ 2023 economic growth: 4.1% (UK: 0.1%) ✔️ Unemployment: 3.3% (UK: 4.6%) ✔️ Productivity: 📈 +1.5% annually At Phoenix, we’d welcome a 4-day work week if the UK government follows Iceland’s lead. It’s time to reimagine how we work for a better balance and a stronger economy. What do you think? Could this be the future of work? 🤔 #FutureOfWork #Wellbeing #ShorterWorkingWeek #4DayWeek #WorkLifeBalance #Innovation

In Tokyo, the idea of a four-day workweek is moving beyond talk and into action. Several companies are actively testing shorter work schedules, aiming to boost productivity, job satisfaction, and work-life balance. Early signs look good - team members report improved well-being, less burnout, and a more positive outlook on their work. Still, questions remain: Will these changes take root in a culture known for long office hours? And what insights can businesses worldwide gain from these experiments? https://lnkd.in/gdyNnH3m

The 'flexible working' debate rumbles on... I find it frustrating. I've worked at enough places to know that sometimes, some or many in-house, in-the-office employees are sat there doing sod all. Or doing 3 hours work in a 7/8-hour day. (If you find this tough to believe, do a Google search, see what comes up on Reddit or Mumsnet or the like, or ask around your wider circle). Or take my experience, so many times, I've been sat hating my life and twiddling my thumbs as there was no work to do. I'd asked - begged - for work to do as I can't cope with being both sedentary *and* idle at work, but for whatever reason, the work is not there at that time. I recall one day, at one firm that shall remain nameless, looking to my left as a teammate looked up recipes for apple pie. To my right, another was buying pants on M&S.com. Meanwhile, I was making 100 cups of tea a day, just to stay awake and ride it out till home time... Yet still we have this situation where some employers do not trust their employees enough to give them the flexibility many crave. They are defaulting to a really unfortunate command-and-control style of 'management' which demands bums on seats. What they don't know though, or can't see, is that those 'bums on seats' can be sat there doing sweet FA, all day long, picking their noses and picking up their pay-check. They can literally be paid for turning up even if they then tune out. It's one of the biggest scams I can see in my lifetime. How will it play out in the long-term? The only scenario I can see is that these sorts of companies will lose their best team members as they slowly, sadly, leave to go somewhere else. Somewhere they'll get a modest pay rise and the respect and ability to work in a way that suits them, and their lifestyles. At some point, most companies will likely realise this and pivot back to a flexible, hybrid model. Such a waste of time... Unless many of those employees end up somewhere better & more forward-thinking as a result... (as they surely will....)

Now here’s a great post about the return to the office. So what could have change? 1) change in leadership style which has had an impact on culture and working style 2) not enough employees are leaving naturally so the employer is getting tough 3) the employer is following a trend of all employers asking employees to return to office Personally, I want my team to do the best work they can do to serve our clients, work effectively together and grow personally, and so support Rebecca’s post below that it just does not make sense.

This is a step backwards. Who does this help or please? The customers? Absolutely not. Work performance? Their own internal metrics say otherwise. The company’s real estate costs will ultimately be higher overall. So it comes down to a few seniorexecutives, who in all likelihood aren’t owners or founders (hired executives)and will probably be able to work remotely themselves.

Thoughtful insight and raw, honest take on the value and power of giving people the ability to achieve great results untethered from a “prescribed office” five days a week. Rebecca absolutely is on point with how opportunity opens up for all when the realities of parenting, support, and care can be split equally amongst parents in a household when both parents have the ability to work more flexibly (not less!) Plus, the economic impact for both workers and cities like Winchester are undeniable when residents have the ability to balance their workplace of choice. Reducing unnecessary costs of commuting daily goes a long way for families and people, while local Winchester-based businesses benefit because where people work they spend: on local cafes, local restaurants, local service providers, and local amenities. Work isn’t about place any longer. Work is about results, and team members partner brilliantly regardless of location while coming together live at an office (or somewhere!) for highly purposeful engagements drive mentorship, community, life-long learning, brainstorming, and idea creation. This is the power of what can be created, and the ubiquity of work and place will continue to transcend forward as the generations of workers continue to shift in the workplace. By 2027, 75% of the global workforce will be dominated by two distinct generations: Millenials and Gen Ys. Gen Alphas won’t be too far behind. These three generations will have never lived an analog life, having had technology wrapped within their day to day. When they take the helm of companies and as they create their own, they will leverage the benefits of a global talent pool, understand how critical it is to eliminate unnecessary daily commuting that pumps CO2 emissions into our atmosphere, and they will scratch their heads around why in the past workers for some reason were required to travel to one physical location only to battle for a desk to work at while work was opening up their laptop and phone to have a meeting with some people live and others on Teams or Zoom. In the meantime, I love being part of creating an incredible culture, achieving game-changing results, and partnering with amazing team members around the world because we’re not tethered to one office.