No Work, No Reward? The Shorter Workweek Is Here!
How Reduced Working Hours Could Shake Up Your Job and Life
Warsaw School of Economics
March, 2026, 12:00–2:00 p.m.
stationary: SGH and on MS Teams I cordially invite you,
Lukasz Dawid Dabrowski
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
it is my great pleasure to invite you to a seminar dedicated to the topic of working time.
The standard working week in Europe is approximately 40 hours, although there is no single uniform standard across all countries, and averages differ by sector and nation. The EU Working Time Directive sets a maximum of 48 hours per week, including overtime, and guarantees minimum daily and weekly rest periods.
Iceland launched a pilot program for a four-day workweek as early as 2015, the United Kingdom conducted trials in 2022, and similar experiments are currently underway in Germany and Spain. In many cases, productivity remained stable while employee well-being improved. In Scotland, a 32-hour workweek was introduced for certain public officials without any reduction in pay, while in Belgium employees are allowed to compress their workweek into four days by extending their daily working hours. By contrast, the Spanish parliament rejected a proposal to introduce a shorter working week.
In Poland, although there are no formal regulations regarding a four-day workweek, some companies and public institutions have introduced shorter schedules on their own initiative. A government pilot program is now testing reduced working hours (e.g., 35 hours per week) in selected Polish companies. Employers that meet specific requirements related to employment contracts, employee tenure, and the participation of at least half of their workforce may receive up to PLN 1 million in subsidies from the Labour Fund (PLN 20,000 per employee), provided they maintain both employment levels and salaries.
The potential benefits of such arrangements include improved work–life balance, more opportunities for personal development, reduced risk of burnout, and extended professional activity. Employers have reported gains in efficiency and creativity, fewer errors and accidents, and stronger competitiveness in the labor market. Nonetheless, many Polish employers continue to express concerns about possible declines in productivity and the need to reorganize workflows. At the same time, research indicates that employees are increasingly motivated by access to remote or hybrid work options, which are becoming more feasible thanks to modern digital tools.
This seminar will explore the following themes:
Block 1: Opportunities and Challenges of a Shorter Workweek
What are the main benefits for employees of a shortened workweek, in light of international experiences – and how can those experiences inspire Polish businesses and public institutions?
Do international examples suggest that a shorter workweek improves productivity, or do they rather challenge the traditional saying that “no gain without pain”?
What legal and organizational challenges are associated with implementing a four-day workweek?
Could reducing working hours have a negative impact on people employed under civil law contracts, such as contract of mandate (umowa zlecenie) or contract for a specific work (umowa o dzieło)?
What alternatives to a shortened workweek – such as remote or hybrid work – can be applied in Poland to improve employee motivation and well-being?
Block 2: Risks, Inequalities, and Long-Term Consequences of a Shorter Workweek
Could a shorter workweek create inequalities between employees in different sectors or at different levels of the organizational hierarchy?
Could a shorter workweek (combined with little or no homework in schools) reduce the aspirations and ambitions of the younger generation?
Can a “resting nation” remain competitive economically and technologically compared to countries that prioritize constant growth and long working hours?
Does the policy of shorter working hours create inequalities for those who continue to work hard in order to succeed?
Is shorter working time and a focus on rest a path toward sustainable living, or does it risk weakening the country’s competitiveness and slowing development – and if so, what mechanisms should be introduced to prevent a decline in innovation and productivity at both the national and international level?
Bringing together leading experts in international law, economics, and policy-making, the seminar will provide a comprehensive, multidisciplinary perspective on one of the most pressing trade and security challenges of our time.
I warmly invite policymakers, academics, legal practitioners, business leaders, and students to join us for this important discussion.
Łukasz Dawid Dąbrowski
Assistant Professor, Institute of World Economy
SGH Warsaw School of Economics
Attorny-at-law
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FOR STUDENTS 🎓 Proposed Topics for Bachelor’s and Master’s Theses
FOR STUDENTS 🎓 Proposed Topics for Bachelor’s and Master’s Theses
Are you looking for a thesis topic that not only meets academic requirements but also engages with real-world issues?
The scope of the proposed topics covers issues of significance from the perspective of contemporary economic, legal, and social processes, examined in both national and international contexts.
🌍 International Trade and International Trade Law
Analysis of the mechanisms shaping the global exchange of goods and services, as well as the legal frameworks underpinning the functioning of contemporary international markets.
💼 Foreign Trade and Foreign Trade Law
Examination of economic relations between states, with particular focus on trade exchange, customs barriers, and legal regulations affecting the movement of goods and services.
🤝 Foreign Investments and International Investment Agreements
Analysis of investment protection systems, the scope of state obligations and investor rights, as well as dispute resolution mechanisms through international arbitration.
👷 Employment in National and International Contexts
Comparative study of labour law regulations across various jurisdictions, encompassing both domestic norms and standards derived from international legal instruments.
🔐 Digitalization - Cybersecurity
Legal and organisational aspects of digitisation, cybersecurity, data protection and international cooperation in the field of information and communication security.
📈 Regulated Markets – Mechanisms and Challenges
Characteristics of markets subject to special legal regimes, including electronic communications, energy, transport, and other strategic sectors.
💡 Significance of Addressing the Selected Issues
Conducting a thesis in one of the proposed areas allows for:
deepening specialist knowledge in the chosen field of study,
developing skills in identifying and interpreting complex legal and economic problems,
relating research findings to real processes shaping contemporary economic, political, and social life.
DLA STUDENTÓW 🎓 Propozycje tematów prac dyplomowych (licencjackich i magisterskich)
DLA STUDENTÓW 🎓 Propozycje tematów prac dyplomowych (licencjackich i magisterskich)
Szukasz tematu pracy dyplomowej, który nie tylko spełnia wymagania akademickie, ale także dotyczy rzeczywistych problemów?
Zakres proponowanych tematów obejmuje zagadnienia istotne z perspektywy współczesnych procesów gospodarczych, prawnych i społecznych, analizowanych w ujęciu krajowym oraz międzynarodowym.
🌍 Handel międzynarodowy i prawo handlu międzynarodowego
Analiza mechanizmów kształtujących globalny obrót towarami i usługami oraz regulacji prawnych stanowiących podstawę funkcjonowania współczesnych rynków międzynarodowych.
💼 Handel zagraniczny i prawo handlu zagranicznego
Badanie relacji gospodarczych między państwami, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem wymiany handlowej, barier celnych oraz regulacji prawnych wpływających na przepływ towarów i usług.
🤝 Inwestycje zagraniczne i międzynarodowe umowy inwestycyjne
Analiza systemów ochrony inwestycji, zakresu zobowiązań państw oraz praw inwestorów, a także mechanizmów rozstrzygania sporów w drodze arbitrażu międzynarodowego.
👷 Świadczenie pracy w ujęciu krajowym i międzynarodowym
Porównawcze ujęcie regulacji prawa pracy w różnych jurysdykcjach, obejmujące zarówno normy krajowe, jak i standardy wynikające z aktów prawa międzynarodowego.
🔐 Cyfryzacja - cyberbezpieczeństwo
Ujęcie prawne i organizacyjne cyfryzacji, digitalizacji, cyberbezpieczeństwa, ochrony danych oraz współpracy międzynarodowej w zakresie bezpieczeństwa teleinformatycznego.
📈 Rynki regulowane – mechanizmy i wyzwania
Charakterystyka funkcjonowania rynków podlegających szczególnym reżimom prawnym, rynku komunikacji elektronicznej, energii lub transportu, i innych sektorów strategicznych.
💡 Znaczenie podjęcia wskazanej problematyki
Realizacja pracy dyplomowej w wybranym obszarze umożliwia:
pogłębienie wiedzy specjalistycznej w zakresie analizowanych zagadnień,
rozwinięcie umiejętności identyfikacji oraz interpretacji złożonych problemów prawnych i gospodarczych,
odniesienie treści badawczych do realnych procesów kształtujących współczesne życie gospodarcze, polityczne i społeczne.
Planowane seminaria naukowe - upcoming academic seminars
Planowane seminaria naukowe - upcoming academic seminars
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