An impact assessment for implementing a compressed working week for office-based workers in the Maltese public service

Abstract

The rationale behind this research project was rooted in exploring the implementation of a compressed working week (CWW) in the Public Service by examining measures of productivity and stakeholders involved to derive an impact assessment (IA) on the most feasible policy options. The concept of a CWW adopted was of working the requisite number of hours for less than the traditional 5-day week. This research focused on office-based workers as they are more consistently linked to the typical 5-day week work pattern. Within the Public Service, officers typically work 43.75 hours during the winter schedule to benefit from a shorter 30-hour working week during summer (Public Service Management Code, Office of the Principal Permanent Secretary, 2020). This is a long-held tradition dating back to when Malta was still under British rule (Office of the Prime Minister, 1974) but reflects an established openness to the idea of a compressed working schedule.