vol.23 | 日本推广4天工作制

【Japanese government backs 4-day workweek】 日本计划推广4天工作制 Japan&`&s government plans to encourage firms to let their employees choose to work four days a week instead of five, aiming to improve the balance between work and life for people who have family care responsibilities or need more time off to acquire new skills. The government included the promotion of an optional four-day workweek in its annual economic policy guideline finalized Friday by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga&`&s cabinet. Experts are divided, however, on whether the new initiative, intended to address challenges posed by the country&`&s labor shortage, will be widely accepted, with labor and management both voicing concerns about possible unwanted outcomes. For employers, while people working four days a week may become more motivated, this may not improve their productivity enough to compensate for the lost workday. Employees, meanwhile, fear pay cuts. 日本政府计划鼓励企业让员工选择每周工作四天，目的是为那些有家庭护理责任或需要更多业余时间来学习新技能的人改善工作和生活之间的平衡。日本政府在6月18日由首相菅义伟的内阁敲定的年度经济政策指导方针中将推广选择性的每周四天工作制包括在内。虽然这项新举措意在解决日本面临的劳动力短缺挑战，但是劳资双方均对该举措可能导致的后果表示担忧，因此，专家对该举措能否被广泛接受也存在分歧。对于雇主来说，虽然每周工作四天会让员工更有动力，但由此提高的生产力可能不足以弥补失去的工作日。与此同时，员工也担心降薪。