![In Greece the government has implemented a sixth day to the work week as the country faces a shrinking population and shortage of workers.](https://san.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/CLEAN-GettyImagesGreeceSixDayWorkWeek_Getty-Images_featuredImage_Tue-Jul-02-2024.jpg?w=1920)
Forget 4-day workweek, Greece adds 6th workday in face of labor shortages
Tuesday
By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)
Companies across the globe are experimenting with the idea of the four-day workweek, but in Greece, the government has implemented a sixth day to the workweek, which started on Monday, July 1. The Greek president said that the aim is to bolster worker productivity at a time when the country is facing a shrinking population and a shortage of skilled workers.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below.
Learn more about this dataLeft 47%
Center 27%
Right 27%
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
+0
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Greece introduces ‘growth-oriented’ six-day working week
Click to see story on The Guardian
Some countries are cutting down their workweeks. Greece is doing the exact opposite.
Click to see story on Business Insider
Greece starts the ‘long’ week: working six days to make up for staff absences.
Click to see story on La Repubblica
(S+) Six-day week in Greece: Why this is not a role model for Germany
Click to see story on Spiegel
Strong reactions in Greece after the transition to the six-day work week
Click to see story on Euronews
Greece imposes a six-day, 48-hour workweek for certain companies
Click to see story on Público
Click to close
Greece becomes first EU country to introduce a six-day working week
Click to see story on CNBC
Greece approves six-day working week
Click to see story on Eesti Rahvusringhääling
A “barbaric” measure. Greece introduces six-day working week
Click to see story on Digi 24
Greece introduces 6-day work week for some industries
Click to see story on Quartz
Click to close
Far
Right
+0
Click to close
Untracked Bias
Greece introduces 6-day work week, in contrast with Europe
Click to see story on Noticias ao Minuto
Protests begin after the introduction of six-day working week in Greece
Click to see story on ГОЛОВНА
Up to 115 percent surcharge: six-day week possible in Greece
Click to see story on n-tv.de
Greece has introduced the six-day work week due to population decline. The measure, denounced as “barbaric”
Click to see story on Libertatea.ro
Greece imposes six-day workweek
Click to see story on Vozpópuli
Greece introduces the six-day week. Would that be possible for Germany?
Click to see story on stern.de
Greece introduces six-day week – the most important.
Click to see story on Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF)…
Not enough specialists – Greece introduces a six-day week.
Click to see story on Deutschlandfunk
In Greece, the 6-day work week has been introduced
Click to see story on Il Post
Employers in Greece can order a six-day workweek, but they must pay – Seznam News.
Click to see story on seznamzpravy.cz
The country in Europe introducing the six-day work week. “It doesn’t make any sense”
Click to see story on Stirile Pro TV
A new six-day workweek in Greece?
Click to see story on Kathimerini English Edition
STA: Greece introduces the possibility of a six-day working week
Click to see story on sta.si
The EU country that just introduced a six-day workweek goes against the global trend.
Click to see story on antena3.ro
Greece introduces a six-day work week. The reason why the Government took this decision.
Click to see story on Aleph News
Greece introduces six-day week — a model for Germany?
Click to see story on wdr.de
Click to close
31 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
31
Leaning Left
7
Center
4
Leaning Right
4
Last Updated
2 days ago
Under the new 48-hour workweek, employees will have the option to work an additional two hours per day or an extra eight-hour shift.
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However, labor unions argue that the law is “barbaric” and accuse the Greek government of stripping away rights and legal protections in the name of profit. They claim that the move could kill the five-day workweek if employers are allowed to require workers come in for an extra day of work.
European Data shows that Greeks work the longest hours in Europe but get paid much less than workers in other EU countries, averaging around $840 a month. However, Greek officials said the new workweek regulations will ensure that workers get paid for the overtime they’re already putting in.
Some companies in the United States are also toying with the idea of a sixth day of work.
A survey by Resume Builder shows 1 in 10 American companies plan to introduce a six-day work week in 2025. The data also revealed that even more companies said they think employees should work more than the traditional 40 hours per week. Additionally, 76% of businesses surveyed believe a six-day workweek would boost worker productivity.
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However, critics argued that longer hours hurt employees seeking a better work-life balance. Some labor experts said the decision to increase hours in the age of employee “burnout” may be a detriment to companies looking to be competitive in the hiring process.
[KARAH RUCKER]
WHILE COMPANIES AROUND THE GLOBE MOVE TOWARD FOUR-DAY WORK WEEKS.
GREECE IS MOVING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION— THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCING AN ADDED SIXTH WORKDAY.
THE AIM IS TO BOLSTER WORKER PRODUCTIVITY AT A TIME WHEN THE COUNTRY FACES A SHRINKING POPULATION AND SHORTAGE OF SKILLED WORKERS.
THE NEW 48-HOUR WORKWEEK WILL GIVE WORKERS THE OPTION TO WORK AN ADDITIONAL TWO HOURS A DAY OR AN EXTRA EIGHT-HOUR SHIFT.
LABOR UNIONS SAY THE LAW IS “BARBARIC” AND ACCUSE THE GOVERNMENT OF STRIPPING AWAY WORKERS RIGHTS AND LEGAL PROTECTIONS.
THEY CLAIM THE MOVE COULD KILL THE FIVE-DAY WORK WEEK IF EMPLOYERS ARE ALLOWED TO REQUIRE WORKERS COME IN FOR AN EXTRA DAY.
E-U DATA SHOWS GREEKS WORK THE LONGEST HOURS IN EUROPE BUT GET PAID MUCH LESS THAN WORKERS IN OTHER E-U COUNTRIES– AVERAGING AROUND 840 DOLLARS A MONTH. GREEK OFFICIALS SAY THE NEW WORKWEEK REGULATIONS WILL MAKE SURE WORKERS GET PAID FOR OVERTIME THEY’RE ALREADY PUTTING IN.
IT’S NOT JUST GREECE, THOUGH. A SURVEY BY RESUME BUILDER SHOWS ONE-IN-TEN AMERICAN COMPANIES PLAN TO INTRODUCE A SIX-DAY WORK WEEK NEXT YEAR. EVEN MORE COMPANIES SAID THEY THINK EMPLOYEES SHOULD WORK MORE THAN 40 HOURS A WEEK AND NEARLY 80 PERCENT BELIEVE A SIX-DAY WORK WEEK BOOSTS PRODUCTIVITY.
COMPANIES LIKE SAMSUNG ALREADY REQUIRE A SIX-DAY WORK WEEK FOR EXECUTIVES.
BUT CRITICS ARGUE LONGER HOURS HURT EMPLOYEES SEEKING A BETTER WORK-LIFE BALANCE.
FOR MORE STORIES FROM THE ECONOMY TO CHANGING WORKPLACE PRACTICES— DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT SAN-DOT-COM.
Related
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below.
Learn more about this dataLeft 47%
Center 27%
Right 27%
Bias Distribution
Far
Left
+0
Click to close
Greece introduces ‘growth-oriented’ six-day working week
Click to see story on The Guardian
Some countries are cutting down their workweeks. Greece is doing the exact opposite.
Click to see story on Business Insider
Greece starts the ‘long’ week: working six days to make up for staff absences.
Click to see story on La Repubblica
(S+) Six-day week in Greece: Why this is not a role model for Germany
Click to see story on Spiegel
Strong reactions in Greece after the transition to the six-day work week
Click to see story on Euronews
Greece imposes a six-day, 48-hour workweek for certain companies
Click to see story on Público
Click to close
Greece becomes first EU country to introduce a six-day working week
Click to see story on CNBC
Greece approves six-day working week
Click to see story on Eesti Rahvusringhääling
A “barbaric” measure. Greece introduces six-day working week
Click to see story on Digi 24
Greece introduces 6-day work week for some industries
Click to see story on Quartz
Click to close
Far
Right
+0
Click to close
Untracked Bias
Greece introduces 6-day work week, in contrast with Europe
Click to see story on Noticias ao Minuto
Protests begin after the introduction of six-day working week in Greece
Click to see story on ГОЛОВНА
Up to 115 percent surcharge: six-day week possible in Greece
Click to see story on n-tv.de
Greece has introduced the six-day work week due to population decline. The measure, denounced as “barbaric”
Click to see story on Libertatea.ro
Greece imposes six-day workweek
Click to see story on Vozpópuli
Greece introduces the six-day week. Would that be possible for Germany?
Click to see story on stern.de
Greece introduces six-day week – the most important.
Click to see story on Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (SRF)…
Not enough specialists – Greece introduces a six-day week.
Click to see story on Deutschlandfunk
In Greece, the 6-day work week has been introduced
Click to see story on Il Post
Employers in Greece can order a six-day workweek, but they must pay – Seznam News.
Click to see story on seznamzpravy.cz
The country in Europe introducing the six-day work week. “It doesn’t make any sense”
Click to see story on Stirile Pro TV
A new six-day workweek in Greece?
Click to see story on Kathimerini English Edition
STA: Greece introduces the possibility of a six-day working week
Click to see story on sta.si
The EU country that just introduced a six-day workweek goes against the global trend.
Click to see story on antena3.ro
Greece introduces a six-day work week. The reason why the Government took this decision.
Click to see story on Aleph News
Greece introduces six-day week — a model for Germany?
Click to see story on wdr.de
Click to close
31 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
31
Leaning Left
7
Center
4
Leaning Right
4
Last Updated
2 days ago
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