Four-day workweek: lessons from Belgium and Iceland

The idea of a four-day workweek has gained new momentum in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the shift towards remote and flexible work arrangements.
Two early adopters of this model (Iceland and Belgium) have taken very different approaches.

Iceland: fewer hours, same pay

In Iceland, a pilot programme ran from 2015 to 2019 with roughly 2,500 employees across various industries.
The trial proved so successful that by 2022, shorter workweeks were widely adopted through collective bargaining agreements rather than legislation.
A defining feature of Iceland’s model is a reduction in weekly hours (down to 36) without any loss in pay.
Today, nearly 90% of the Icelandic workforce benefits from this change.
Experts have stated that the reform has led to lower stress, higher job satisfaction, and better work-life balance.

Belgium: four days, same hours

Belgium introduced its four-day workweek through legislation in 2022.
However, unlike Iceland, Belgium’s approach doesn’t reduce overall working hours.
Instead, employees can choose to compress their standard workweek into four longer days.
Prime Minister Alexander De Croo explained that the goal was to bring flexibility to a traditionally rigid labour market.
Despite this intention, uptake has been minimal as only about 1% of Belgian workers have chosen the compressed schedule.

The four-day week paradox: when flexibility isn’t enough

Despite growing interest, the four-day workweek is still far from mainstream.
My colleague, Dan J Grace, Director of IRIS HR Consulting Services, explains:
“After examining the Belgian and Icelandic models of the four-day workweek that Marta explored, I’m left with a striking realisation: real reform often requires courage, not compromise.
“Iceland’s approach – reducing hours while maintaining pay – was a bold reimagining of work itself.
“By achieving this through collective bargaining instead of legislation, the country proved that cultural consensus can be more powerful than legal mandates.
“The result? A remarkable 90% adoption rate and measurable gains in wellbeing, equality, and work-life balance.
“This wasn’t just a policy change; it was a social transformation.
“Belgium’s model, by contrast, highlights the limits of half-measures.
“Compressing the same number of hours into fewer days may look like flexibility, but it sidesteps the deeper question: Are we working too much?
“The dismal 1% uptake speaks volumes.
“Workers know instinctively that longer daily hours don’t solve burnout; rather, they accelerate it.
“What’s most telling is how Iceland succeeded without legislation, while Belgium’s law has barely moved the needle.
“This shows that authentic reform isn’t about regulatory frameworks – it’s about cultural readiness and collective will.”
The path forward requires transformation, not tinkering.
At the end of the day, a four-day workweek that just crams five days of exhaustion into four isn’t progress – it’s denial dressed up as innovation.

About the author: Marta Nocchi, International HR Consultant at IRIS

Marta has a solid foundation in employment law, holding a law degree and currently enhancing her expertise through the CIPD Level 5 qualification.
Fluent in both Italian and English, and with a background in HR operations, employee benefits, and payroll, she brings a strategic and culturally attuned perspective to global workforce management.
At IRIS, with our international HR services, we help businesses simplify workforce management across 135+ countries, ensuring compliance and consistency no matter how work models evolve.
Whether you’re exploring a four-day workweek or adapting to other flexible arrangements, IRIS provides the tools and expertise to make it possible.