World of HR: First company to trot out four-day workweek in Turkey adopts it permanently

A number of employers around the world have tried out four-day workweeks in recent years. In Turkey, one company just became the country’s first to not only trial the schedule, but adopt it permanently.

Where in the world? Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayii AS, an acrylic fiber company based outside Istanbul, recently said it would make its four-day workweek permanent, according to Fortune.

The company began trialing a shortened workweek in 2023. Its 200 white-collar workers were given the opportunity to work a shorter week for the same salary and benefits, and were allowed to make their own schedule: Some took one day off a week, while others worked partial days. Aksa Akrilik hoped to see increased collaboration and operational efficiency.

Cengiz Tas, CEO of Aksa Akrilik, told Bloomberg that 94% of workers participated, and the company reported increased employee engagement, productivity, and work-life balance. Tas also said job applications have increased significantly.

Satellite view. Four-day workweeks are attractive to younger workers, and as much as 77% of US workers believe having one would positively impact their well-being.

Several governments, including Germany, the UK, and Portugal, have launched pilot programs, often with success. More than 90% of participating companies in a South Africa trial permanently adopted the schedule, HR Brew reported.

Despite the benefits, the approach doesn’t work for every company. Magyar Telekom, a Hungarian telecom company, suspended its trial after 18 months because the benefits didn’t last and weren’t felt by employees across the board, according to Fortune.

Companies should modify their approach based on employee and customer needs, according to NPR.

“My advice to any organization is it’s incumbent on the leadership and on HR to make sure that the day off truly remains a day off…If you’re doing this, or any change, you have to rigorously defend that decision and enforce that decision,” Bjorn Reynolds, founder and CEO of Safeguard Global, which began its four-day workweek pilot in 2022, recently told HR Brew.