In the midst of climate and health crises, a shortage of skilled workers, and fears of globalization and digitalization, Switzerland is confronting major challenges.
Some pioneering companies and experts believe that reducing working hours provides a forward-looking solution. Studies by CDE and other research groups show that switching to shorter workweeks in affluent societies not only promotes individual well-being, but can advance the goal of societal sufficiency.
Together with Dezentrum and in collaboration with Swiss companies, civil society and institutions, CDE is conducting an iterative experiment and developing desirable scenarios for innovative, resilient working time models.
Project activities
- Using the scenario technique, desirable visions for the future are developed and corresponding experiments are launched that address SMEs and/or encompass societal interventions (e.g. contributions to public debate) and institutional aspects.
- Standardized surveys are employed to validate the desirability of the scenarios developed.
- A framework model is created on the relationship between working times, well-being, and resource use, emphasizing macroeconomic questions and interdependencies with important societal systems such as social security.
