Flexible Workweeks in Copenhagen: Employers Adapt to Society’s Demand for More Balance

In 2023, the Danish parliament approved an experiment with flexible working weeks. This trial period started on April 1 and will last until the end of the year. Fourteen workplaces in Copenhagen are participating in the four-day work week, including Radisevej dormitory, which offers mental health services to young people.

The Radisevej dormitory has reorganized its working hours from seven in the morning to eleven at night, seven days a week, to accommodate the new schedule. The director of the dormitory unit has reported positive effects on recruitment and employee satisfaction due to the longer working days.

This experiment is not unique in Denmark as similar trials have been conducted in other municipalities. Public sector workplaces in Copenhagen are also involved in this change. The idea behind this new work schedule is seen as a response to societal and generational changes, with employers adapting to meet the desire for more flexibility from their workforce.

The hope is that this new work schedule will help achieve a better balance between work and personal life. There are plans to continue this experiment beyond the initial trial period. Similarly, Finland has proposed experiments with shortened working hours, such as an 80% working time experiment equivalent to a four-day work week. Reports from countries that have implemented similar experiments show positive effects on employee health and well-being.