Ph. S. Hermann & F. Richter (pixabay)
How many times do you hope to have a longer weekend, have an extra day of relaxation between one work shift and the next? In Belgium from this year the working week will be 4 days, managing the hours at the choice of the employee.
In Belgium began the Revolution of labor standards, supported by the Federal Government. The Minister of Labor Pierre-Yves Dermagne guarantees concrete progress in the lives of all workers: the choice to reduce the working week to 4 days will not have consequences on the productivity of the country, the working hours will be the same since, but distributed in a different way . The new work plan is not only concerned with guaranteeing an extra day at the weekend but guarantees more efficient professional training, a greater balance between private and professional life and greater protection during the period of employment, and in the transition from an occupation to another.
The choice of this labor reform derives from the way of working that has developed due to Covid, “we had to adapt,” says the Belgian Prime Minister. The pandemic has made it clear that there are different needs compared to when the work system that we still use today was created and the same is true for modern techniques and work technologies. In Belgium, the new time guarantee flexibility will allow you to manage the hours according to your needs, you will be able to decide when to carry out the hours by distributing them between one week and another. To allow this, those who work with a variable part-time must work their shifts at least a week in advance.
The choice of a 4-day work week rather than 5 is a decision-maker of the worker who every six months will have to communicate the decision regarding his turn to the case of the employer who, in case he should reject the proposal, will have to motivate his decision. Another workhorse of the Belgian government is the insistence on training: at least 3 training days per year can be guaranteed by each company4 in 202 and 5 in 2024.
All companies with over 20 employees will also be required to include a period in the development plan to deepen the skills of each employee. This strategy will make it possible to increase the quality level of Belgian productivity, even reduce working days.
This Labor Reform also guarantees the right to disconnect, given the spread of computer work, more aid in employees for employees subject to dismissal and a facilitation with regard to collaboration between offices, transition from one job to another, within different companies.
For older employees, the last period of work will be dedicated to training or they will be relocated, supported by contributions from the employer. In addition, insurance is provided for anyone in the event of an accident at work. The aim is to protect all workers, entrusting their support to companies.
Belgium’s new working scheme allows employees to manage their own schedules ensuring a more relaxed and consequently more productive working climate. With the addition of the new training project to this type of hourly distribution, the country estimates that it will reach an employment rate of 80%.
ALESSANDRO VIDALI
(Original article by Sarah Iori)
