The debate on ending the 6×1 workweek in Brazil has gained a lot of momentum in recent months, especially with demonstrations by the Life Beyond Work Movement (VAT), led by recently elected Rio de Janeiro city councilor Rick Azevedo, and legislative proposals to reduce the weekly workload in order to improve workers’ quality of life.
Congresswoman Erika Hilton is one of the main voices in Congress advocating an end to this model. She has presented a Proposed Amendment to the Constitution (PEC) that seeks to eliminate the 6×1 scale and reduce the weekly working day from 44 to 36 hours. Although it has already managed to gather the necessary signatures to be formally presented, the PEC still needs to go through several legislative stages before it becomes a reality.
Since the beginning of the year, Raízes Sustainable Development has been exploring new work formats that put people at the center of decisions. In February of this year, we implemented the 4×3 schedule. This model, which offers four days of work followed by three of rest, has brought profound changes to the lives of our employees, and to the company’s results.
For an end to inhumane schedules
A study carried out by the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the International Labor Organization (ILO) revealed that, in 2016, around 9% of the global population – approximately 488 million people – worked excessive hours, 55 hours a week or more. Although the ILO has recommended a maximum working week of 40 hours since 1935, many national legislations still allow longer hours, and this practice has intensified due to the increase in informal work, changes in the market, and new work formats.
The consequences for health are alarming: in 2016, almost 400,000 deaths from strokes and 350,000 from heart attacks were linked to long working hours. The chronic stress generated by long working hours disrupts the cardiovascular system, aggravating these risks. In addition, harmful practices such as tobacco and alcohol use, sedentary lifestyles, poor diet, and inadequate sleep, often adopted to cope with tension, further aggravate the impact on health.
The 6×1 work schedule can significantly contribute to the emergence of Burnout Syndrome, due to the high workload and exhausting routine it imposes on workers. According to the Ministry of Health, Burnout Syndrome is an emotional disorder with symptoms of extreme exhaustion, stress, and physical exhaustion resulting from stressful work situations.
This excessive workload drastically reduces free time, limiting access to moments of leisure, culture, education, and social interaction, essential aspects for maintaining mental health and quality of life. In addition, the scale compromises family relationships, reducing the time available for caring for and interacting with children, spouses, parents, and other loved ones.
Why insist on evolution?
Evolving in the context of labor relations means rethinking practices that no longer meet the human and business needs of the 21st century. The insistence on more sustainable models, such as replacing the 6×1 schedule with the 4×3 schedule, is a reflection of a labor market that demands a better balance between productivity and quality of life.
There are arguments that changes like these are challenging, especially for sectors that depend on the traditional model. However, history teaches us that evolution always faces resistance. During the abolition of slavery, the main argument against it was economic, just as it was when the working day was reduced to eight hours. And we know that these arguments are absurd and these changes were more than necessary!
In practice, evolving also means recognizing that innovations such as artificial intelligence and robotization have the potential to relieve overloads, allowing people to devote more time to creativity, learning, and personal relationships.
What’s more, this change in working hours signifies a commitment to a fairer and more inclusive future. Implementing changes such as the 4×3 schedule is not only a response to the pressure for quality of life but also a strategic move for companies looking to retain talent, innovate, and prosper.
The 4×3 experience at Raízes
At Raízes DS, the implementation of the 4×3 roster was an initiative that reflected the company’s commitment to humanizing work and balancing professional and personal life.
After 9 months of the 4×3 schedule being implemented, we have seen significant improvements in our well-being and the company’s productivity. Employees have reported greater satisfaction and quality of life, without affecting productivity.
“Trying the 4×3 roster seems to give us more life. And life in the sense of being a better daughter to my parents, having time to give them attention, to accompany them to a doctor’s appointment. Being a better mother to my daughter, having a free afternoon to do activities with her. Being a better friend, answering a WhatsApp message, going out for coffee. There’s also the opportunity to study or even work on something else, like something manual, preparing food, or making a purchase.
So I think it’s much more than just not working one day. It’s everything we do on the day we don’t work, whether it’s resting or living these thousand facets that we are, that makes a difference. At Raízes, when this model was adopted, it allowed us to work five days in some weeks, depending on our personal preference. It gives us the chance to organize our deliveries in such a way that, if my daughter’s appointment isn’t on Friday, I can accompany her on another day and, on Friday, use the free time – without meetings, emails, or WhatsApp – to catch up on tasks“, says Marina Claus, a social project specialist here at Raízes.
For Mariana Madureira, our founder and executive director, “the experience brought personal challenges, such as learning to slow down and prioritize activities more deeply and strategically, but it also revealed the benefits of creating a more balanced work environment. The change demonstrated that it is possible to achieve consistent results while valuing free time, rest, and the team’s personal development. Gaining more time has allowed us to be more strategic, more in-depth, and yet we have maintained – and even surpassed – our productivity results.”
This experience reinforces the conviction that humanized work is not only possible but essential.
The mobilization on social media around the end of the 6×1 work schedule is not just a demand for a utopian future; it is a decision that reflects a commitment to a fairer and more sustainable society. At Raízes, we believe that companies are made by and for people. Therefore, we will continue to challenge traditional models in order to build a future where everyone thrives.
