A new survey has found that almost half of Irish employers believe it would be "feasible" to trial a four-day working week.
According to the Four Day Week Ireland campaign, 77 per cent of people surveyed on behalf of the group by Behaviour & Attitudes said they supported the idea of the Government exploring the introduction of a four-day week.
Two-thirds of respondents said they believed it was "realistic and achievable".
Two-thirds of employers welcomed the idea of the Government exploring the possibility of a four-day working week, something which the survey defined as “same job, same goals, same salary, but over four days rather than five”.
Younger adults and people working full-time were the two groups most in favour of the idea.
Almost half of employers (46 per cent) said it would be 'feasible' to trial a four-day working week in their workplace.
“Close to half of employers see this as feasible in their own workplace, which is very encouraging, while a substantial majority believe the Government should explore this concept,” said Joe O’Connor, director of campaigning with the Fórsa trade union, which is part of the group.
“The four-day week, with no loss of pay, offers the potential of a genuinely better future for workers and employers alike.”
Mr O'Connor said the campaign group was pleasantly surprised by the support of many employers.
“It’s clear employers recognise the productivity potential of a four-day week, while some employers have already taken the first steps with very promising results,” he said.
Mr O'Connor added: “We are now urging the Oireachtas Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to commission an expert report on the feasibility of a four-day working week in Ireland, and consult with key stakeholders on this as part of their work programme.”
