Exploring the Sustainability of the Four-Day Workweek in the Netherlands

Fri Feb 13 2026 01:00:38 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As the Netherlands adopts the four-day workweek, questions arise about its long-term sustainability for businesses and the economy.

The Dutch embrace of a four-day working week has highlighted both societal changes and economic challenges. While this shift promotes better work-life balance and employee well-being, doubts linger regarding its sustainability and productivity in the face of an aging workforce and economic constraints.

Exploring the Sustainability of the Four-Day Workweek in the Netherlands

The Dutch have quietly adopted working just a four-day week, allowing for significant changes in work culture. But what are the long-term implications and can this model sustain itself?

Your kids are only young once, says Gavin Arm, co-founder of Amsterdam-based Positivity Branding. Many business owners immerse themselves in their work for the sake of their children, but often regret missing out on family moments.

In 2019, Arm and his co-founder Bert de Wit implemented a four-day workweek without cutting salaries or requiring longer hours. Employees work the same 32 hours per week, focused on maintaining a solid work-life balance.

While such initiatives have gained traction among various companies in the Netherlands, the largest union, FNV, continues to campaign for it to become a formal recommendation, leveraging existing rights for employees to request reduced hours.

Marieke Pepers, chief people officer at the software firm Nmbrs, notes the positive impact of the four-day workweek on creativity and overall workplace morale, despite initial skepticism about productivity and workload management.

Data suggests that Dutch employees work fewer hours compared to the European average while maintaining high GDP per capita. This phenomenon questions the assumption that longer hours correlate with economic success.

However, there are challenges ahead. Economists warn about the stagnating productivity growth over the past fifteen years. According to OECD economist Daniela Glocker, to boost the quality of life associated with shorter work hours, the workforce must either increase productivity or receive a boost in labor supply.

Inevitably, a substantial part of the solution may rest on increasing employment levels among women, as half of Dutch women work part-time, which stands in stark contrast to other OECD nations.

The transition to a four-day workweek remains a hot topic, merging aspirations for improved workplace cultures with practical economic realities. As Arm aptly puts it, Are you happier? Are you enjoying your life more? That's really what it's all about.\