Kazakhstan is not going to shift to 4-day working week, Tamara Dyussemova, the country’s Healthcare and Social Development Minister, said in an interview for Tengrinews.
Kazakhstan is not going to shift to 4-day working week, Tamara Dyussemova, the country’s Healthcare and Social Development Minister, said in an interview for Tengrinews.
“The measure seeks to ensure a more even distribution of jobs, rather than to cut down the working hours. One part of the working population work 4 days, with the rest of the working population working the other three days. This leads to a growing number of people employed. However, I am sure Kazakhstan is not going to apply the measure”, she said, commenting on the recent suggestion for nations to shift to the 4-day working week made by experts with the International Labor Organization.
“Kazakhstan does have certain unemployment-related issues. But we are more focused on raising the quality of labor force at the present stage”, she said.
According to ILO experts, the measure would significantly enhance people’s health as too many people are facing problems related to excessive workloads, sedentary lifestyles and stress. The measure is also expected to create more jobs. “A variety of surveys show that people are more productive when they work less, with those stuck in offices for longer hours pretending to be effectively working”, according to the UN website.
The UN website emphasizes that the idea of shifting to the 4-day working week has been supported by Larry Page, founder of Google, and Carlos Slim, a Mexican magnate.
Following the research, Kazakhstan-based RBK bank introduced a four-day working week.
Russia’s media published a comment of the ILO spokesperson, according to whom the suggestion posted on the organization’s blog should not be interpreted as a recommendation for the ILO member states.