Why Italy Needs to Adopt a 6-Day Workweek

Greece Extends Weekly Working Hours to Boost Productivity

The Greek government has made a significant decision to extend the weekly working hours, making it easier to transition from 40 to 48 hours per week.
This move goes against the trend of proposals for reducing the workweek from 5 to 4 days while keeping salaries unchanged.

Implications for Italy

Italy is also discussing similar measures, although it is not a top priority for the government.
Increasing working hours could address some major problems in the Italian labor market, such as low productivity.

Productivity Issues in Italy

Productivity is a crucial factor in measuring a country’s growth.
Italy lags behind other major European economies in productivity rankings.
Despite Italians working more hours on average, they are less productive compared to countries like Germany and France.

The country faces challenges such as outdated technology in the workplace, with workers having less innovative tools than their counterparts in other countries.
There is also a concentration of workers in less productive sectors like tourism and agriculture.
Italy struggles to attract foreign companies due to fiscal regulations, further hindering industrial progress.

The Need for Skilled Workers

Italy is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, with 316,000 vacancies for qualified professionals.
This deficit costs the country billions of euros and impacts its GDP.
Addressing this issue is essential for improving productivity and economic growth.

Proposed Solutions

To boost productivity and address labor market challenges, some suggest increasing the weekly working hours.
Following Greece’s example of extending working hours with incentives could help Italian businesses cope with staffing shortages and maintain production cycles.

While controversial, moving towards a 48-hour workweek could offer economic benefits and potentially improve Italy’s overall productivity.
Embracing measures to enhance workforce skills and efficiency remains crucial for the country’s economic development.