Greece has introduced a six-day working week for certain industries to boost economic growth. New legislation, effective from the start of July, allows employees to work up to 48 hours a week instead of the previous 40. This change applies only to businesses operating 24 hours a day and is optional for workers, who will receive an additional 40% pay for their overtime.
This move by the Greek government contrasts with workplace trends in Europe and the US, where four-day workweeks are becoming more common. Companies adopting shorter workweeks argue that fewer hours can enhance productivity and staff wellbeing.
According to Greek public broadcaster ERTNews, the six-day working week is intended to combat undeclared work and tax evasion. The policy does not include tourist businesses and the food industry.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that the legislation is “worker-friendly” and growth-oriented, aiming to align Greece with the rest of Europe. The EU’s “working time directive” mandates a 48-hour weekly limit, including overtime. A spokeswoman for Greece’s Ministry of Labour and Social Security clarified that the policy targets two types of businesses: those operating continuously 24/7 with rotating shifts and those operating 24 hours a day for five or six days a week, also with rotating shifts.
The additional working day is an exceptional measure, permissible only in response to increased workload, and does not alter the established five-day workweek mandated by law. The Greek government emphasized that the new regulations would protect workers from undeclared work and ensure fair compensation.
The global financial crisis of the late 2000s severely impacted Greece, leaving the country with significant debts due to high public spending and widespread tax evasion. Mitsotakis is credited with returning the economy to growth after Greece sought three international bailouts.
Despite this progress, Greece’s approach to working patterns diverges from other nations, especially since the Covid pandemic, which saw many companies adopting flexible working models and trialing four-day weeks without reducing wages. Trials of a four-day week in Iceland were deemed a success, with productivity remaining the same or improving in most workplaces.