Four-day workweek being piloted in Cyprus

A four-day workweek is being piloted in the Republic of Cyprus, with a big accounting firm on the island testing the waters of better work-life balance this summer.

According to Stockwatch, PwC Cyprus says it will implement a four-day workweek this year during the months of July and August, reducing summer working hours from 37 down to 36.

PwC Cyprus, a multinational accounting firm, aims to strike a healthy balance between the private and professional lives of its employees, according to the company’s Human Resources director Anna Loizou.

“This innovation, which is being implemented for the first time in Cyprus, further strengthens the flexible and hybrid work model that we are applying as an organization, so that each of us can choose where, how, and when to work based on our own needs, in order to achieve balance between a healthy private life and professional work,” Loizou said.

Signs of the times have been pointing to a modern and flexible schedule to replace the old-fashioned workweek that is based on the five-day model.

Workers around the world have been calling for more flexibility, better work-life balance, and more choice in deciding when to clock in and out.

But prior to the coronavirus pandemic, it was not certain that the trend would catch on until health restrictions imposed by governments ended up forcing companies to call on employees to work from home and adapt to personal circumstances.

News of the pilot program comes days after the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting was launched on Sunday in Davos, Switzerland.

Business pundits suggest the signs of the times point to an evolving definition of work, calling on companies to listen, learn, and adapt to what employees want.

The five-day workweek has been described as unproductive, according to numerous studies, which are now gaining traction around the world as experts call for more 4-day tryouts following real-world examples during the COVID pandemic.