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“Friday off”: Reducing Working Hours in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Giorgos Kallis

    (ICREA, ICTA-UAB and Research & Degrowth, Bellatera 08193, Barcelona, Spain)

  • Michael Kalush

    (ICREA, ICTA-UAB and Research & Degrowth, Bellatera 08193, Barcelona, Spain
    Masters Program in Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, 08193 Bellatera, Barcelona, Spain)

  • Hugh O.'Flynn

    (ICREA, ICTA-UAB and Research & Degrowth, Bellatera 08193, Barcelona, Spain)

  • Jack Rossiter

    (ICREA, ICTA-UAB and Research & Degrowth, Bellatera 08193, Barcelona, Spain
    Masters Program in Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, 08193 Bellatera, Barcelona, Spain)

  • Nicholas Ashford

    (MIT Technology and Law Program, MIT E40-239 Cambridge, MA 02139, USA)

Abstract

This article explores the pros and cons for reducing working hours in Europe. To arrive to an informed judgment we review critically the theoretical and empirical literature, mostly from economics, concerning the relation between working hours on the one hand, and productivity, employment, quality of life, and the environment, on the other. We adopt a binary economics distinction between capital and labor productiveness, and are concerned with how working hours may be reduced without harming the earning capacity of workers. There are reasons to believe that reducing working hours may absorb some unemployment, especially in the short-run, even if less than what is advocated by proponents of the proposal. Further, there may well be strong benefits for the quality of peoples’ lives. Environmental benefits are likely but depend crucially on complementary policies or social conditions that will ensure that the time liberated will not be directed to resource-intensive or environmentally harmful consumption. It is questionable whether reduced working hours are sustainable in the long-term given resource limits and climate change. We conclude that while the results of reducing working hours are uncertain, this may be a risk worth taking, especially as an interim measure that may relieve unemployment while other necessary structural changes are instituted.

Suggested Citation

  • Giorgos Kallis & Michael Kalush & Hugh O.'Flynn & Jack Rossiter & Nicholas Ashford, 2013. "“Friday off”: Reducing Working Hours in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-23, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:5:y:2013:i:4:p:1545-1567:d:24913
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M., 2011. "Environment versus growth -- A criticism of "degrowth" and a plea for "a-growth"," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(5), pages 881-890, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jonas Van der Slycken & Brent Bleys, 2020. "Cost-shifting Versus “Full” Accountability: Dealing with Cross-time and Cross-boundary Issues in the ISEW and GPI. An application to Belgium," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 20/1003, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    2. FitzRoy, Felix & Nolan, Michael A., 2021. "The Inefficiency of Employment and the Case for Workplace Democracy," IZA Discussion Papers 14065, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. N. N., 2017. "WIFO-Monatsberichte, Heft 6/2017," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 90(6), June.
    4. Zwickl, Klara & Disslbacher, Franziska & Stagl, Sigrid, 2016. "Work-sharing for a sustainable economy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 246-253.
    5. Stefanie Gerold & Matthias Nocker, 2015. "Reduction of Working Time in Austria. A Mixed Methods Study Relating a New Work Time Policy to Employee Preferences. WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 97," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58139, February.
    6. Anja Hansen & Jörn Budde & Yusuf Nadi Karatay & Annette Prochnow, 2016. "CUDe —Carbon Utilization Degree as an Indicator for Sustainable Biomass Use," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-17, October.
    7. Antonio Mihi-Ramirez & Elias Melchor-Ferrer & Yolanda Garcia-Rodriguez, 2022. "Why Do Regions Differ in Growth? The Productivity of the Eurozone and Its Contribution to the Added Value of Its European Neighbors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-18, September.
    8. Rezai, Armon & Stagl, Sigrid, 2016. "Ecological Macreconomics: Introduction and Review," Ecological Economic Papers 9, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    9. FitzRoy, Felix & Nolan, Michael A., 2020. "Towards Economic Democracy and Social Justice: Profit Sharing, Co-Determination, and Employee Ownership," IZA Discussion Papers 13238, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. FitzRoy, Felix & Spencer, David, 2020. "Economic Policy Response to the Pandemic: From COVID-19 Emergency to Economic Democracy," IZA Policy Papers 160, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Røpke, Inge, 2016. "Complementary system perspectives in ecological macroeconomics — The example of transition investments during the crisis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 237-245.
    12. Gerold, Stefanie & Nocker, Matthias, 2018. "More Leisure or Higher Pay? A Mixed-methods Study on Reducing Working Time in Austria," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 27-36.
    13. Salvador Pueyo, 2014. "Ecological Econophysics for Degrowth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(6), pages 1-53, May.
    14. King, Lewis C. & van den Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M., 2017. "Worktime Reduction as a Solution to Climate Change: Five Scenarios Compared for the UK," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 124-134.
    15. Jimenez, Valeria, 2023. "Labour market stability in a zero-growth economy," IPE Working Papers 211/2023, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    16. Larch, Mario & Löning, Markus & Wanner, Joschka, 2018. "Can degrowth overcome the leakage problem of unilateral climate policy?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 118-130.
    17. Ryan Gunderson, 2019. "Work time reduction and economic democracy as climate change mitigation strategies: or why the climate needs a renewed labor movement," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 9(1), pages 35-44, March.
    18. Mastini, Riccardo & Kallis, Giorgos & Hickel, Jason, 2021. "A Green New Deal without growth?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    19. Nicholas A. Ashford & Ralph P. Hall & Johan Arango-Quiroga & Kyriakos A. Metaxas & Amy L. Showalter, 2020. "Addressing Inequality: The First Step Beyond COVID-19 and Towards Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-43, July.
    20. Rainer Eppel & Helmut Mahringer & Petra Sauer, 2017. "Österreich 2025 – Arbeitslosigkeit und die Rolle der aktiven Arbeitsmarktpolitik," WIFO Monatsberichte (monthly reports), WIFO, vol. 90(6), pages 493-505, June.
    21. Pullinger, Martin, 2014. "Working time reduction policy in a sustainable economy: Criteria and options for its design," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 11-19.
    22. Dirk-Hinnerk Fischer & Hovhannes Yeritsyan, 2018. "A Common Misunderstanding about Capitalism and Communism Through the Eyes of Innovation," Economic Thought, World Economics Association, vol. 7(2), pages 1-14, November.
    23. Hardt, Lukas & O'Neill, Daniel W., 2017. "Ecological Macroeconomic Models: Assessing Current Developments," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 198-211.

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