Is Working Four Days a Week Better? Iceland: yes! 一週只工作四天 冰島：生產力更好

Trials of a four-day work week run by Reykjavík City Council and the national government in Iceland were an “overwhelming success.” The workers moved from a 40-hour week to a 35- or 36-hour week, while being paid the same amount. Their productivity remained the same or even improved, researchers said.

The workers said they felt less stressed. Their work-life balance had improved, and they also had more time to spend with their families, as well as do hobbies and household chores. The success of the trials led unions to renegotiate working patterns. Now 86% of Iceland’s workforce have shorter hours for the same pay.

友善讓你懂 │ 解說：

冰島首都雷克雅維克市議會和國家政府共同執行一份實驗，將一週工時改為四天，結果是「壓倒性的成功」。實驗中，勞工從每週工作 40 小時，改為 35 或 36 小時，但獲得相同的報酬。研究人員表示，這些勞工們的生產力保持不變，甚至有所提高。

參與實驗的工人也說，一週工作四天讓他們的壓力減輕了、工作與生活也更有平衡，也有教多時間陪伴家人、發展嗜好或進行家務。這項實驗的成功，也讓冰島工會有籌碼重新談判工作模式。現在，冰島全國86%的勞動力，在同等工資下，工作時間變得更短。

輕鬆帶著走 │ 學習：

每天辛苦上班，你有多少休閒時間？生活中除了工作，你還記得「生活」嗎？西方國家特別重視「work-life balance」，意思就是生活與工作的平衡，不僅要認真工作，還要發展興趣、給自己一點休息時間。例句：

• It can be difficult to get the right work-life balance. 達成工作與生活平衡不容易
• A work-life balance is an important criterion for choosing jobs. 工作與生活的平衡是選擇工作的重要標準

其他單字：

• trial (n.) 試驗
• productivity (n.) 生產力
• renegotiate (v.)  重新談判