Preferences for collective working-time reduction policies:a factorial survey experiment

Collective working-time reduction (WTR) policies, organized by companies, organizations, sectors or governments, can yield benefits across diverse domains including productivity and well-being. Despite an increasing number of WTR trials, the attractiveness of such policies remains relatively underexplored in literature. In this study, a factorial survey experiment investigates employees' preferences for collective WTR policies with pay reduction that vary along five dimensions. Findings reveal that employees favour policies that minimize pay reduction, that reduce working time moderately rather than extensively, and that establish a high degree of flexibility for taking up the additional leisure time. Moreover, the uptake amongst significant others matters: participation of colleagues as well as of close friends and family positively influences WTR attractiveness, although the latter primarily matter in WTR-supportive company cultures. Our findings provide valuable guidance for companies, organizations and policymakers when devising collective WTR policies and underline the importance of societal participation to enhance WTR attractiveness.