The reduction of working hours
The project focuses on the assessment of the potential benefits, negatives and risks associated with reducing working hours for employers and employees and, in general, for the functioning of the labour market, especially in those sectors in which there is currently a shortage of personnel or in which continuous operation is required. At the same time, comparisons will be made of relevant legislation in European countries where working hours reductions have been introduced (France and Belgium) and an assessment will be conducted of whether reducing working hours has met expectations and resolved the problems it aimed to respond to. The anticipated added value of the project is to obtain information on the reduction of working hours in EU countries and the benefits and risks in terms of employee productivity, the structure of the economy, employment and unemployment issues, GDP, the organisation of work, wage levels and competitiveness.