Corporate Practices: one year later, Scania is learning the lessons from the implementation of the 4-day week as an answer to the economic crisis

An atypical decision necessary to safeguard skills. By deciding to maintain its staff in spite of a major drop in orders, Scania adopted a human resources policy clashing with the idea that layoffs were necessary to face the crisis. However, in exchange, Scania negotiated the implementation of the 4-day week with a 10% pay cut for all employees. The company also obtained the support of a great deal of collaborators. Indeed, 70% of them voted yes to the project. Scania’s displayed objective was to keep the skills present within the company to immediately react when the situation would improve and new orders come in. The company also got €11 million from the Swedish State to improve general knowledge and skills as well as employees’ employability. In total, 60% of them attended training over the period. This situation explains why Scania was so responsive when new orders came, notably from Brazil, and the subsequent good economic results of the first quarter.