,regionOfInterest=(609,360)&hash=7123eb3f55a98e9ae3d234f7db94765c0940892e02307996412dba09da2b0432)
Governments in Asia are now cutting working hours to save energy because of the Iran war. Experts even see the chance of a permanent four-day week.
The corona pandemic has permanently established hybrid working. Now the Iran war is once again forcing numerous countries to radically intervene in everyday work. Countries like Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Pakistan are shortening their workweeks to four days to save energy and fuel, Fortune reports.
First countries are shortening the working week due to the energy crisis
Table of Contents
The background is the tense situation in the Middle East and the threat to oil deliveries through the Strait of Hormuz. Other governments are now also encouraging citizens to work from home again in order to reduce energy consumption.
All information about working in Asia during the Iran crisis:
- Governments in Asia are introducing four days of work per week as an emergency measure
- Under pressure, employees show that they can achieve a similar amount in four days
- Experts expect stronger demands for shorter weeks in office jobs
- Physical service professions could remain excluded from new time off
- In the future, companies would have to justify why a fifth working day is necessary
Experts: Four-day week could stay – but not everywhere
Experts see this as an attempt with a possible lasting effect, reports Fortune. They draw parallels to the Corona period, when an emergency solution became a new normal. However, organizational psychologist Vladislaw Rivkin considers a global three-day weekend rule to be unlikely. A structural reorganization of the world of work is significantly more complex than moving to the home office.
In addition, in his view, the current increase in fuel prices is temporary. The reduction in working hours could therefore become more permanent in countries with weaker infrastructure.
Why the global test can become a tipping point
According to Fortune, labor market experts nevertheless point out that the burden of proof could shift after ongoing tests. During the energy crisis, if companies find that teams are performing in four days, they will have to justify the extra day, they say.
At the same time, several trends are coming together: the advance of AI, a cost of living crisis, stagnating wages and the desire for more flexibility. According to the report, initial studies and pilot projects suggest that the four-day week could become the new standard in the long term, especially in countries that have now been testing emergency operation for the longest time.
Four-day week in Germany: Between desire and reality
In Germany, the four-day week has been discussed for years, but in a much more structured and less crisis-driven manner than currently in Asia. Trade unions such as the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB) repeatedly demand reductions in working hours with full wage compensation – with reference to productivity progress and increasing burdens on employees.
Studies and pilot projects, for example those carried out by the German Economic Institute (IW) or international organizations such as OECD, show mixed results: In many cases, satisfaction increases while productivity remains stable – although not equally in all sectors.
Companies warn about costs and politicians remain cautious
Employer associations such as the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations (BDA), however, are critical of the four-day week. They warn of rising wage costs, shortages of skilled workers and competitive disadvantages, especially in industry.
In practice, individual company models are primarily emerging – such as shortened weekly working hours or compressed working hours – but not a nationwide trend. The European debate therefore moves between social policy demands and economic reality checks. In comparison, parts of Asia are currently experiencing significantly more dynamism.
