“I wanted a model that would benefit everyone,” says Marlene Kittel. Last year, the director of Happy-Foto introduced the four-day working week in the low season for most of its employees. There is more home work space for employees who do not have peak moments. The concept at the company from Freistadt (Upper Austria) works – and this year it will be expanded.
Marcusstrasse 8-10 in Freistadt: Today, Friday, is the day off on which the production machines even run six days a week in the run-up to Christmas. “We closed our operations every Friday until the end of September,” says Happy Foto director Marlene Kittel, who introduced the four-day work week at the photo printing product specialist last year. At first it was just trying. This year, the short week at the photo printing specialist from the Mühlviertel will be extended.
The extra day off rotates in customer service
What does that look like in detail? The 50 production employees only work from Monday to Thursday between mid-February and the end of September and accrue negative hours during this time, which are then continued during the high season. For customer service representatives, the extra day off rotates between Wednesday and Friday in the low season, “because we still have to be available five days a week,” Kittel emphasises.
In areas where there are no seasonal peaks, there is the option of two home working days instead of the short week. It took three months before the concept was there: “Because it was important to me: if it is, then there must be a benefit for everyone.”
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
