🇮🇪 Ireland · Europe
How Ireland trialled a shorter workweek — and what the results mean for the future of work.
Overview
Although Ireland hasn't officially adopted a 4-day work week at a national level, the country participated in a landmark 6-month pilot programme between January and June 2022 — monitored by researchers from Boston University and University College Dublin.
Twelve Irish small and medium enterprises joined the trial, with the goal of determining whether a reduced workweek could increase employee wellness and productivity while also lowering carbon emissions.
The outcome was unambiguous: every single company that participated chose to continue with the 4-day model after the trial concluded. No revenue was lost — one company actually saw growth. The trial has since inspired broader national conversations.
A larger, second-phase pilot was subsequently run by 4 Day Week Ireland in late 2022, this time involving 17 companies. That wave produced similarly compelling data: revenue rose by ~8% compared to the trial period, and by over 37% compared to the same period the prior year.
Ireland's public sector union Fórsa is actively campaigning for a further national trial. The government has commissioned supporting research, signalling moderate — if cautious — political interest in the idea.
Pilot Results
Results from the 17-company Irish pilot (Jun–Dec 2022), independently tracked by researchers.
Pilot Deep-Dive
12 Irish SMEs. 188 employees. Organised by 4 Day Week Ireland, UCD & Boston College. Zero revenue lost — one company grew.
Ireland scores 7.9/10 on the OECD Better Life Index for work-life balance — placing it among Europe's better-performing nations.
Work Culture
Ireland combines European work protections with a strongly flexible, remote-friendly culture — increasingly shaped by tech sector norms.
The average Irish work week is 39 hours, with a legal ceiling of 48 hours averaged over a 4-month reference period. Standard hours are Mon–Fri, 9 AM–5:30 PM, with most businesses pausing for lunch between 12:30 and 2 PM.
Ireland has a notably high part-time employment rate of 29% of the total workforce — with women (39%) significantly more likely to work part-time than men (21%). The rate fell from 40% between 2020 and 2021 as the economy shifted post-pandemic.
Before Covid-19, only 23% of Ireland's workforce had ever worked remotely. That changed dramatically: 80% of employees worked remotely at some point during the pandemic, and 90% of workers aged 35–44 said they want to continue remote work going forward. Ireland's Central Statistics Office data confirms this is now a structural shift, not a temporary one.
Policy & Government
No national legislation yet — but there's real momentum in union campaigns and commissioned research.
The Irish government has not introduced any formal legislation or backed a state-sponsored pilot. However, it has commissioned independent research into the feasibility of a 4-day work week at a national level. Fórsa, Ireland's largest public sector trade union, is actively campaigning for a structured national trial. The combination of research interest and union pressure suggests the political conversation is still developing — and progressing.