01
The pressure
Growth and demographic change
Economic pressures have renewed debate about the relationship between working hours and performance.
Join the network The OPTIME research
Which model works, where, for whom, and under what conditions?
OPTIME is designed to connect evidence that is usually studied separately: the experience of people, the design of organisations and the national systems in which working-time change takes place.
The European debate
Europe's working-time debate is entering a new phase.
02
The evidence gap
Promising, but fragmented
Evidence has largely come from single-country pilots and relatively uniform models of change.
03
The OPTIME shift
From “does it work?” to “what works where?”
We examine which models are feasible, for whom, in which contexts and under what conditions.
What OPTIME investigates
Beyond whether.
Towards what works where.
Four connected questions organise the cross-national research programme.
Which model?
A four-day week is one possibility, not a universal prescription. We compare different ways of reducing working time.
↗Where?
We test how national institutions, sectors and organisational settings change what is feasible and sustainable.
↗For whom?
We examine different workers, life circumstances and groups that have been underrepresented in existing research.
↗Under what conditions?
We identify the barriers, enablers, incentives and risks that shape whether a model succeeds.
↗From everyday life to European systems
Research across three levels
OPTIME brings together evidence that is usually fragmented across disciplines and scales.
MACRO
Labour markets, policy and environment
MESO
Organisations, sectors and technology
MICRO
People, health and daily life
The OPTIME mission
Evidence people, organisations and policymakers can act on.
01Map barriers and enablers across countries+
02Assess impacts on people and business+
03Advance inclusive models for underrepresented groups+
04Develop effective organisational strategies+
05Co-create policy recommendations with leaders in the field+
The research journey
Evidence that grows
with the conversation.
Across three years, the public story moves from shared understanding to implementation and, finally, policy and practical use.
Year 12026—27
1
Understanding working time
Build a shared language. Map models, contested claims, barriers and knowledge gaps.
Year 22027—28
2
Designing better work
Study implementation, organisational redesign and what helps shorter hours endure.
Year 32028—29
3
Shaping Europe’s future of time
Integrate the evidence, explore future scenarios and turn learning into practical guidance.
Take part
Help shape the evidence.
Join the OPTIME network for project updates, events and relevant opportunities to engage with the research.
Horizon Europe · 2026–2029
European research for better working-time futures.
OPTIME is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101289891.
Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.