Namibia Tests Four-Day Workweek in Pursuit of Greater Work-Life Balance

Namibia is set to launch a four-day workweek pilot program in April, joining the growing list of countries like Germany, the Dominican Republic, and the U.K. that are experimenting with the trend aimed at improving work-life balance.  

The six-month trial is being led by Pulse HR Network Namibia, a local partner of the New Zealand-based 4-Day Week Global, according to a report published by APANews. The program will involve 15 organizations and is based on the 100-80-100 principle, where employees work 80% of the time but receive full pay and benefits, provided they maintain 100% productivity.  

Namibia is the second country to launch a four-day workweek trial. Last year, South Africa piloted its own program, and the results were overwhelmingly positive with most of the employers in the program deciding to continue with the reduced workweek after recording improvements in employee well-being, job satisfaction, and productivity.  

According to a report published by The Namibian, Namibia’s four-day workweek initiative has garnered mixed reactions from economists and experts within the country — with some seeing potential benefits and others questioning its feasibility in specific sectors. It’s reported that politicians such as Maximalliant Katjimune suggest that the approach should be more customized to meet the diverse needs of different industries, rather than a blanket four-day policy in the trial. 

The pilot program in Namibia is inspired by similar initiatives in countries like Belgium, Germany, Iceland, Portugal, Spain, and the U.K., which are exploring shorter workweeks to promote, and potentially transforming traditional work patterns. 

The U.K.’s trial has become a well-known citation for advocates of the four-day workweek. According to a report published by NPR, 54 out of the original 61 companies that trialed the four-day workweek for six-months in 2022 still have that policy.  

As the world watches, the outcome of Namibia’s experiment could have a domino effect for the evolution of work culture — not just within its borders but as a model for other nations considering similar programs.