After a year marked by uncertainty (and some bright spots—thanks, Raygun, for giving the world a collective laugh), the global workforce is looking ahead to 2025. Some of the news that dominated headlines—including that of four-day workweek trials and an ever-changing population—will continue to affect the workplace in the new year.
More countries consider four-day workweeks. Germany, Turkey, and Japan all tried a four-day workweek this year after the UK, South Africa, and Iceland conducted successful trials since 2020.
Some 73% of German employers that tried the four-day workweek reported plans to keep the modified schedule moving forward, HR Brew previously reported. Additionally, 90% of employees at participating companies said that the new schedule helped improve their mental health.
One company in Turkey tried a four-day workweek and liked it so much that it adopted the schedule permanently. Workers at Aksa Akrilik Kimya Sanayii AS, an acrylic fiber company, were more efficient and collaborative, according to the company’s CEO.
The Japanese government encouraged employers to test a four-day workweek to help its overworked and aging population, according to the Associated Press. The country also put new limits on overtime and is offering free consulting services to employers interested in trying more flexible schedules.
Low birth rates are causing headaches. Many countries have pondered how falling birth rates might impact their economies long-term, and this year countries in East Asia realized they must deal with the impending problem head-on.
China announced that it would gradually increase the retirement age by three years, to 63 for men, and 58 for women. The decision was in response to the country’s declining birth rate and aging population, as well as slowed economic growth. Meanwhile, some local governments in the country started offering subsidies to would-be parents or paid time off for getting married, Business Insider reported.
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Japan is also turning to older workers to fill job openings, and 40% of employers have workers over 70. The country and some employers are also reskilling workers to accommodate the changing population.
South Korea is focused on the next generation of workers, HR Brew reported. Some employers in the country are trying to ease the burden of having children through onsite daycare, up to two years of parental leave, and even $75,000 to have a baby.
Foreign worker changes. While some countries search for birthrate solutions, others, including Canada, Portugal, and Germany, are examining their foreign worker policies.
As unemployment in Canada rose this year, the government made changes to its Temporary Foreign Worker Program to reduce the number of workers coming into the country, HR Brew previously reported. Skeptics of the program believed it was too easy for employers to potentially exploit foreign workers, so the government instituted new guidelines.
Many foreigners flocked to Portugal during the Covid-19 pandemic for its beautiful beaches and appealing digital nomad visas, but the country could not sustain the influx of new workers. In response, Portugal tightened the work requirements for low-skilled foreign workers.
While Portugal and Canada were tightening foreign worker regulations, a worker shortage prompted Germany to introduce Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card), to attract more skilled workers to its IT, engineering, and healthcare industries. The program allows workers from these industries to stay in Germany and try out different jobs for up to a year while they look for permanent placement.