Share

cover art for The four-day workweek: Is Europe ready for the shift?

Europod • News

The four-day workweek: Is Europe ready for the shift?

Season 4, Ep. 2
•

What if you could work fewer hours without losing pay? Some European countries are already testing the four-day workweek, and the results are in higher productivity, happier employees, and less burnout. But while some are working less, others are working more, like in Greece, where a six-day workweek has been introduced in certain sectors. So, is Europe really moving toward a better work-life balance, or is the dream of shorter workweeks just a luxury for a lucky few?


In this episode of Europe Talks Back, together with Barbara De Micheli (Head of the Social Justice Unit at Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini) and Catarina Bargas (Specialist on working time and work organization at the International Labour Organisation) we explore the shifts in work culture, the policies shaping our future, and what it really means to work to live, not just survive.


This episode was hosted and produced by Evi Kiorri.

The editing was done by Alexander Damiano Ricci.

Sound editing was done by Daniel Gutierrez Ortega.

And the Original sound theme is by Thomas Kusberg.



More episodes

View all episodes

  • 51. Why are the French more exposed to cadmium?

    03:54||Season 2, Ep. 51
    French bread could be more dangerous than what’s on the table in neighboring countries. Why ? Because of cadmium, a toxic heavy metal lurking in everyday foods.A recent study showed that French people were far more contaminated by cadmium than others. Why is France more contaminated than other countries?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedIn • Instagram

  • 50. Europe resists Trump’s pressure over Middle East conflict

    04:12||Season 2, Ep. 50
    NATO is once again under fire from American threats. U.S. President Donald Trump is furious over the EU’s repeated refusals to support - even indirectly - his war efforts.Are Europeans finally firmly standing up against Trump?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedIn • Instagram

  • 49. Israel's death penalty bill: Will the EU finally sanction Netanyahu's government?

    05:02||Season 2, Ep. 49
    Israel has just passed a law reinstating the death penalty. This measure not only reverses a fundamental principle, but also discriminates against Palestinians. Because capital punishment will only apply to those accused of anti-Jewish terrorism. Will the EU, which strongly opposes the death penalty, now sanction the Israeli government?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedIn • Instagram

  • 48. Is the EU Commission unable to protect the rule of law in the 27 Member states?

    05:10||Season 2, Ep. 48
    Respect for the rule of law in the EU is seriously eroding. This is what a report compiling data from 40 organisations across the continent has found. Member States are simply not implementing the recommendations made each year by the European Commission. Is the EU reaching its limits in maintaining the rule of law?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

  • Will the EU ban conversion practices for LGBTQ people?

    05:38|
    Only eight European countries have banned conversion practices. These so-called therapies often lead to PTSD, but they can go as far as driving young people to suicide.This is why more than 1 million citizens are asking the EU to ban these practices. Is the EU willin to do so?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

  • Where does the EU stand on the embargo imposed on Cuba?

    04:55|
    Total blackout, shortages of food and fuel, lack of medication… The situation in Cuba is worsening day by day. According to the United Nations, the country has been pushed to the point of imminent humanitarian "collapse." What are the reactions of Europeans?Production : Europod in co-production with the Sphera Network.This episode is based on videos shot by Samuele Maccolini for VD News and on a story written by Antigone Panta-Harva for Popaganda and is co-written with Hélène Pillon from Médianes.Follow us on:LinkedIn • Instagram

  • 45. Can we, Europeans, actually reduce our gas consumption?

    04:27||Season 2, Ep. 45
    European households are suffering high energy bills. As long as the war in the Middle East drags on, options to reduce this burden remain limited.One major reason? Europeans are highly dependent on gas. Can the EU actually cut its gas consumption?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

  • 44. Italy’s referendum: Is Giorgia Meloni slowly losing her grip on power?

    05:16||Season 2, Ep. 44
    Giorgia Meloni has just suffered her first major defeat. On Monday, she lost the judicial referendum she had called. A defeat that will not lead to her resignation, she declared.But could this first setback weaken her both in Italy and internationally?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram

  • 43. What happened with the Ukraine-Russia peace negociations?

    04:24||Season 2, Ep. 43
    Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are constantly being delayed. That’s what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated last week. As his country begins to run out of missiles and financial support, can Zelensky still hope to get out of this war with dignity?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram