Parents should limit after-work commitments to relax, employers suggest
Position on four-day week suggests fewer after-school activities for children
Parents should limit after-work commitments to increase relaxation time without sacrificing working hours, according to the Malta Employers Association.
The recommendation is part of the association’s position paper on the concept of the four-day work week, which it launched during a conference last week.
“Rushing from work to take children to afterschool activities every day involves time and commuting, which takes up a good part of − if not all − leisure time,” the paper states, adding that employees often say they feel more stressed after they leave the workplace than while they are at work.
“A reduction in such afterwork commitments is also a way to increase relaxation time without sacrificing working hours.”
The association said there should be a serious discussion about aligning school opening hours with the needs of families.
“Even by just increasing school times to 3pm will make it more practical for parents to opt for a 30-hour week and a working day of 8am to 2.30pm (with 30 minutes break) where possible, and be with their children upon their return from school.”
The system of free childcare, the association said, has become a key service in helping dual-income households with raising children. “The service can be improved by extending it to cover employees doing shift work.”
Social partners could discuss whether parents with a second child younger than six years old could have the option of requesting to work a 32-hour week.
The association suggested the four-day option could also be offered to employees who reached 60 years of age as a way to encourage active ageing and address a looming demographic crisis.
“As the labour force ages, it becomes more important to encourage employees to work beyond retirement. Paradoxically, a reduced working week could be a positive incentive to increase supply of hours.”
‘Avoid blanket solutions’
Discussing the four-day work week in general terms, the association said that introducing a blanket, one-size-fits-all model would be impractical under Malta’s current economic system, and would risk undermining competitiveness and jobs.
“Even imposing a shorter working week on selected sectors or occupational categories will be counterproductive, as it will cause friction between different groups of workers.”
Rather than the government imposing legislation on employers, the economic system should encourage a flexible work culture, based on output rather than hours worked.
“This includes strengthening the current trend of offering teleworking, reduced hours and flexible hours where possible.”
MEA clarifies its position
In a clarification issued after its position paper was published, the MEA said it was not suggesting that kids do less extra-curricular activities, but rather that ways should be found to incorporate these within the school environment (after school) so as to reduce the stress on workers having to rush off work to take them somewhere else.
"It means organising the activities within improved structures of education too. The children can remain at their school to do the activity and the workers can remain at work being productive," the MEA said.
That idea was proposed by former minister Tonio Fenech last year.
Discussion about a four-day work week has been sparked by Opposition Leader Alex Borg. Speaking at the conference, he agreed with the association that blanket measures could be counterproductive, and that technology should play a central role.
“Digitalisation and artificial intelligence are changing the relationship between time and output. They automate repetitive tasks, improve scheduling and allow workers to focus on higher-value work,” Borg said.