The debate over a four-day workweek in Greece is closely linked to the country’s low productivity and the structure of the Greek economy, according to a report by Kathimerini.
Although Greece records some of the highest weekly working hours in Europe (39.6 hours), the productivity of the Greek economy remains 33 percentage points below the EU average. By contrast, in Netherlands — where pilot four-day workweek models are being implemented in certain sectors — productivity exceeds the European average by 14 points.
According to economists and labor market representatives, reducing working hours cannot be considered independently of an economy’s productive capacity. In Greece, 88% of businesses employ up to 10 workers, while only 2% employ more than 50.
Experts suggest more “realistic” alternatives such as a six-hour workday, a four-day workweek without reducing total working hours, and additional vacation leave.
The dominance of very small businesses, with limited resources and high labor intensity, makes it difficult to implement reduced-hour models without additional costs. The issue is particularly pronounced in seasonal sectors such as tourism and hospitality, where continuous shift coverage and increased staff availability are required.
As a result, a blanket implementation of a 32-hour workweek could lead either to increased overtime or to intensified and undeclared work. For this reason, many experts consider intermediate solutions more realistic, including a four-day workweek without reducing total hours through 10-hour working days, “100-80-100” models (100% salary, 80% working time, 100% productivity), six-hour workdays, more vacation days, or a shorter overall working life.
Experts also emphasize that implementing such policies would require higher productivity, investments in technology and organization, as well as collective labor agreements tailored to the needs of each sector.
Source: Kathimerini
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