There is more and more talk about the short week, with various legislative proposals, but is it also applicable to the public sector? Let’s see it together.
The forms and methods of working change over time.
We saw it with him smart workingused massively during the period of Covid-19 pandemicbut still used (and requested) today.
We are increasingly working in a hybrid way, but agile working is not the only “new” working method in place.
The theme of short week remains under discussion, both within the Government and in public opinion, with many companies (especially multinationals) having applied it, eliciting the favorable opinion of employees.
But would it also be possible to apply it to Public Administration? Here’s an overview.
Short week: what is it about and what are the recent legislative proposals
There short week provides one reduction in the number of working days in a weekgoing from 5-6 days to 4 days.
As regards the amount of hours, it depends a lot on the different proposals: some keep the number of working hours unchanged, while in other proposals the amount of hours is reduced (while maintaining the same salary).
The size is designed for improve the quality of life of employeesincreasing company productivity.
Several studies done abroad, especially in Northern Europe, have found increases in productivity and employee satisfaction, without any change in the quality of services.
To date, the topic is still highly debated in Italy.
Two weeks ago, the Green and Left Alliance, Democratic Party and Five Star Movement parties advanced three different proposalsat the House Labor Committeeto be able to apply the short week also in Italy.
The proposal of Greens and Left Alliance it would provide for a general reduction in working hours, with equal pay, so as to also increase employment in some production sectors. The proposal also includes reductions in overtime (with daily and weekly limits) and an incentive fund for the reduction of working hours, for employers who adopt a reduction of at least 10% in weekly hours.
In the proposal of Democratic party a progressive reduction in working hours and an exemption from the payment of contributions is envisaged, in the amount of 30% (which increases to 40% for strenuous jobs).
Finally, the 5 Star Movement has put forward a proposal which sees the reduction of the working hours to 32 hours (while maintaining the same salary) and an exemption from contributions for employers, of up to 8 thousand euros, for the first three years.
Short week: is it also possible for the public sector?
Just as it was for smart working, the topic of the short week is creating a great debate, both in the private and public sectors.
In Italy there are already several private companies that have applied it, such as Intesa SanPaolo, Sace And Luxottica.
And obviously the debate also reached the public sectorwhere the application of agile working has already been the source of several discussions.
For the public sector there have been no real proposals on the short week, but certainly, in order to apply it, there would be a need for a general reform of the system, together with a serious organizational restructuring.
To be able to apply a working model such as the short week, in the Public Administration, a revolution of the public administrative system.
The problems are different, but the main one is certainly the shortage of staffwhich already causes various inconveniences to services and which could not withstand even a reduction in working days.
To date, therefore, it is certainly a utopia to think of being able to apply the short week to the public sector too. This is because there is a need for a massive reorganization of the sector, which must include, first and foremost, the reconstitution of the workforce.
At the same time, however, the application of this new working model would certainly pay off the PA is more attractiveespecially in the continuous comparison with the private sector, improving the complicated phase of contract renewal.
Source: article by lentepubblica.it editorial team
Tags: short week applied public sector workers
