In recent years, discussions about the 6-hour workday model have expanded worldwide. Especially in the context of research on psychological stress, employee satisfaction, and labor productivity, steps are being taken in several countries to reduce working hours. Whether this model will be more widely applied in Azerbaijan in the future is one of the interesting issues.
In his statement to Modern.az regarding the issue, former MP, economist Vahid Ahmadov stated that the 6-hour workday was previously applied in some areas.
According to him, the practice of a reduced working regime existed especially in heavy and harmful areas:
“In heavy industry and harmful workplaces, a six-hour workday was previously applied. Recently, however, the issue of reducing working hours in general is being discussed more”.
Vahid Ahmadov believes that the development of technologies affects changes in working regimes:
“Robotics and information technologies are rapidly developing in the world. The demand for live labor is gradually decreasing, many rough jobs have already been automated”.
According to the economist, this process may not have a serious negative impact on labor productivity:
“The application of a six-hour work regime would not create a serious problem. Because the process of automation and robotization has expanded sufficiently”.
The former MP stated that reducing working hours can also have a positive effect on people's psychological state:
“Recently, people work more with computers and electronic devices. This affects both health and psychological state. A six-hour workday can reduce the load to some extent”.
Vahid Ahmadov emphasized that the development of artificial intelligence technologies will also affect the work regime in the future:
“Artificial intelligence is already a new stage, and serious steps are being taken in this direction in Azerbaijan. All this can lead to a reduction in working hours in the future”.
Azer Badamov, Deputy Chairman of the Milli Majlis Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, also stated that the 6-hour working day will be discussed in the future:
“This model is applied only for certain categories and areas. These mainly include those working in harmful and heavy working conditions, some employees of the state and education sectors, as well as groups in need of special social protection.
The application of a 6-hour workday exists in some countries in international practice, but it is not widespread. Today, the issue of switching to a 6-hour workday is not discussed in our country, and this direction is not currently considered relevant. However, it can be considered possible for this issue to come to the agenda in the future” – he said.
