As It Happens: Why Iceland's 4-day workweek pilot was an 'overwhelming success'

People who work fewer hours per week are not only happier, but also more productive at their jobs, according to a large-scale pilot program in Iceland.

Between 2015 and 2019, the Reykjavík City Council and Icelandic federal government teamed up with trade unions to test the pros and cons of a four-day workweek.

About 2,500 workers — more than one per cent of the country's workforce — worked between 35 and 36 hours a week, as opposed to the standard 40, with no reduction in pay. 

Will Stronge is co-director of the British think-tank, Autonomy, which collaborated with Icelandic researchers on the analysis. He spoke to As It Happens guest host Duncan McCue.

New Podcast: The Next Call with David Ridgen

From David Ridgen, the creator of Someone Knows Something, comes the new investigative podcast The Next Call. Tackling unsolved cases through strategic phone calls, the curtain is peeled back. From the victim's family members to potential suspects, the investigation unfolds with The Next Call.

The first case investigated in the series is the mysterious 1996 disappearance of 15-year-old Melanie Ethier.