A trial four-day work week has begun in Germany as the country battles to “stimulate” its troubled economy.

This week, several German companies they will give their employees one extra day off each weekwhile they will still be paid their full salary.

Unions argue that this working model will make staff more productive, as well as healthier and happier, which pilot participants hope will prove to be the case.

In addition, it could offer companies a way to attract new staff, as a shortage of skilled labor in Germany has meant employers struggle to fill jobs.

A four-day work week could lead to reduced employee absenteeism due to stress, illness and burnout, according to the Bloomberg. This would help Germany and its economy, as on average workers lost 21.3 days of work in 2022. This resulted in the country losing 207 billion euros in added value, according to data from the Federal Institute for Security and Occupational Health.

One of the 45 companies participating in the program is event management agency Solidsense.

Its co-founder, Soren Fricke, told Bloomberg about the pilot program: “I am absolutely convinced that investments in ‘new work’ pay off because they increase well-being and motivation, but also efficiency. The four-day week, if it works, won’t cost us anything in the long run either.”

By 2035, more than 7 million people will have left the German workforce, but there is no one to replace them, as births and immigration do not seem to make a difference.

Despite having the largest economic output in Europe, Germany’s productivity has been held back by a lack of investment in innovation and digitalisation. And it stands to reason that without improvement in these areas, even a four-day week would not create more productivity, according to the economist Enzo Weber.

Another economist, Mr Martin Ademmeris also wary of whether an eventual increase in productivity could compensate for the hours workers are not working.

“It is unlikely that increased productivity will compensate for reduced working hours,” he told Bloomberg. “Together with the shrinking workforce this would be a major drag on economic growth.”