Will there be four-day work week in central government offices?

New Delhi: The government introduced a five-day work week after the fourth pay commission's recommendations. The idea was to give more leisure time to the employees which leads to better work-life balance and also improves their efficiency. So is govt now thinking of a four-day work week or a 40 working hours a week system for central government offices? If you were expecting the answer to be in a Yes, you might be disappointed. The govt has no plan to introduce four days a week or 40 working hours a week system for central government offices, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.

'There is no such proposal'

"Presently, there is no such proposal to introduce four days a week or 40 hours a week for Central Government officials," Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

"It is informed that the working days/ Holiday/ working hours in administrative offices of the Central Government of India are recommended by the respective Central Pay Commissions.

"Based on the fourth pay commission recommendation, five days a week and eight and half hours working per day in civil administrative offices of Government of India were introduced," he said. The Seventh Central pay Commission has recommended that the status quo may be maintained, the minister added.

Spain is testing a four-day work week

In order to imperove the work-life balance of the citizens, Spanish government has agreed to test a pilot introduced by Más País, the country's small left wing political party. One of the party's officials, Iñigo Errejón, shared on Twitter, "With the four-day work week (32 hours), we're launching into the real debate of our times. It's an idea whose time has come." Errejón added that the move will "reorient the economy towards improving health, caring for the environment, and increasing productivity."

"Spain is one of the countries where workers put in more hours than the European average. But we're not among the most productive countries. I maintain that working more hours does not mean working better" Íñigo Errejón said while commenting on the development to the Guardian.

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