As the future of work remains a hotly debated topic, a new study from global research and insights agency Opinium Europe reveals that three in ten (31%) workers in Europe would relocate to another country that allowed the 4-day working week if theirs didn’t.
This rises to 41% among Swiss workers, 36% among Danish workers and 35% among Irish workers. In addition, 33% of Italian and 31% of Spanish workers would consider relocating country if it meant they could work a 4-day week, as would three in ten workers in both France and Germany (both 30%), and 29% of UK workers. Workers in the Netherlands (24%) and Sweden (18%) are least likely to move country to work fewer days.
For the first report in Opinium’s Future of Work Series, Opinium conducted an online survey among 9,400 working adults across Europe, finding that the majority of European workers (65%) believe reducing their working week to 4 days would positively impact their wellbeing, while 55% think they’d be more productive if they worked for 4 days.
However, two in five (40%) do not think they’d be able to fit their workload into 4 days, and half (51%) don’t think their employer would ever allow it.
Fears for the future as almost a quarter (23%) are worried their role could be replaced by automation
The rapid shift to automation in the workplace has left almost a quarter (23%) of European workers saying they are concerned their role will be replaced by automation. This rises to three in ten among Spanish, Danish and Swiss workers (all 31%). In the UK and France, almost a quarter share these concerns (both 23%), as do 21% in Ireland, 19% in Germany and 18% in Italy. Workers in the Netherlands (17%) and Sweden (12%) are least likely to feel worried about automation replacing their role.
The mood of working Europe: mostly positive
Overall, the working dynamic in Europe is a healthy one. When asked to think about how they have been feeling over the last three months, European workers are most likely to report positive feelings such as productive (33%), content (31%), motivated (29%), okay (28%), and calm (27%). This is compared to only one in eight who say they are bored or overwhelmed (both 13%).
Generally, Western European countries emerged as the most content, with two fifths of workers in Germany (38%) and Denmark (42%) reporting this as well as almost a half (46%) of those in the Netherlands.
However, feelings of exhaustion (24%) and frustration (22%) are also present, with those in Ireland and Sweden tending to report these negative emotions the most. In fact, those in Ireland are also the most likely to report feeling anxious and among the least likely to feel loved. Furthermore, across Europe one in ten reported feeling angry (11%) or sad (10%) and 3% paranoid.
Reassuringly, across all European workers there is a sense of optimism about the future. One in five (18%) said they feel hopeful, and the same proportion supported (18%).