Ross Greer in the Scottish Parliament with his fist raised

The normalisation of a four day working week with no loss of pay will have a transformative impact on the health and wellbeing of workers and on their performance, the Scottish Greens have said.

The party’s finance spokesperson, Ross Greer MSP, has welcomed the announcement that the Scottish Government is commencing a four day working week public sector pilot, which will assess the wellbeing, environmental and productivity benefits a reduced working week could bring.

The pilot, announced following a Government Initiated Question by Greer, was secured by the Scottish Greens shortly after the party joined the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Greens Party have themselves already adopted a four day working week for staff, with positive results. Better work-life balance, less stress, being better able to deal with difficult situations, and more control over their lives are just some of the benefits which staff have reported.

The World Economic Forum recently noted that pilots of the four day working week in Spain increased productivity, improved the physical and mental health of workers and reduced CO2 emissions as a result of fewer cars being on the road during the working week.

Greer said: “The four day working week has a transformative impact on work-life balance, health and happiness. It means people can spend more time with their families, friends and loved ones and it helps employers retain staff and boost productivity.

“We introduced a four day work for Scottish Green staff in 2022 and have seen the benefits for ourselves, including better job satisfaction and a reduction in stress. Our staff wouldn’t go back, so I’m delighted that through our role in government we are giving other workers this opportunity.

“The Scottish Government is rightly leading by example with these pilots. They will provide a lot of useful evidence and lessons which will in turn help other sectors and businesses to make the shift.

“Scottish Greens want a society where people are working to live rather than living to work. That means building an economy based on fair work, good wages and positive terms and conditions. The normalisation of a four day working week will be a key part of that change.”

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