New Zealand Prime Minister suggests 4-day work week

Posted by Anita Froneman on 25 May 2020

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently proposed implementing of a four-day work week as a means to help boost local tourism.

Ardern voiced the idea in a video on her Facebook page, adding that she has had ‘lots of people suggesting we should have a four-day week. Ultimately, that really sits between employers and employees,’ Ardern said.

She said that 60% of New Zealand’s tourism industry comes from locals, and a shorter work week will give residents more flexibility in terms of their leave, ultimately being able to travel more.

Ardern encouraged employers to set up a flexible remote working environment, wherein employees could work longer hours in fewer days so as to keep up productivity, reports CNN.

Earlier this year, Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin also suggested the idea. Experiments done along these lines by Microsoft Japan in 2019 have reported a 40% increase in productivity, according to Quartz at Work.

Watch Ardern’s video here:

New Zealand recorded a 5.6-magnitude earthquake on Sunday, 24 May. Prime Minister Ardern was giving a live TV interview when the quake struck. The earthquake struck at 8:00 local time, some 90km north of Wellington, New Zealand’s capital according to BBC. 

Despite being felt across the country, there have been no injuries or damages.

 

Image credit: Twitter/ Johnrashton47






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