Productivity and working hours have been considered inexorably linked for a long time. Most countries still think a six-day workweek to be an acceptable official format. While many modern countries use a five-day work system, significantly advanced countries are trying to introduce an even more exciting option: a four-day workweek.
It’s time to figure it out! So, in this article, we’ll discuss at:
– What is the four-day workweek, and how has the coronavirus quarantine affected decisions to switch to a new work schedule?
– Pros and cons of a four-day work system.
– A bit of number; countries have already experimented with the four-day workweek.
– A glimpse into the future – is a standardized four-day workweek possible?
What is the four-day workweek, and how has the coronavirus quarantine affected decisions to switch to a new work schedule?
The four-day workweek is skeptical of employers and arouses the interest of employees. It always seemed that productivity was measured by the number of working hours – but this is hardly true when we are not talking about factories with the same routine work. The coronavirus epidemic and the move to utterly remote working helped prove this. People realized that office work and routines are not unshakable rules and can be changed – after all, people change and adapt to any changes themselves.
After the coronavirus, people learned how to use the free online planner to organize their time and began making their own home offices. Many did not lose productivity but, on the contrary, became much more helpful to their employers and stayed in this mode. And others reflected on the importance of the old office mode. If working remotely was useful, why consider a four-day workweek?
Pros and cons of a four-day work system.
Now let’s talk more about why you should consider adopting this schedule in the first place. There are several reasons why a four-day workweek can increase productivity several times over:
1. Working parents will get more time for their families, and busy workaholics can prevent burnout and stress. Drawing a clear line between work and personal life will improve our psychological well-being.
2. Increasing motivation by reducing working hours will positively affect the quality of work and employee satisfaction. They will be more involved in the work process and more productive during the working day.
3. Reduced absenteeism is one of the effects of a four-day workweek. People will have more time – it will be easier to solve their problems and not take time off. Also, taking care of themselves in their free time will reduce absenteeism due to health conditions and layoffs due to burnout.
4. Knowing that there is one less day than necessary can encourage employees to use their time more efficiently. They will spend less time on non-essential tasks, prioritize better, and look for ways to work faster and more efficiently. Our psychological health will increase if we distinguish between jobs and personal life.
Of course, there are also some disadvantages to this schedule:
- Some jobs can’t be done in fewer days. This might be the case in customer service roles where continuous coverage is required or jobs requiring a lot of collaboration and coordination with other employees or teams.
- Reducing work hours will improve employee happiness and work quality by increasing motivation. They’ll participate more actively in the working process.
- Fewer days off will bring on some service-related work and can bring dissatisfaction to customers and users.
- If employees are paid for working on their days off, and the company has a culture of being overworked, they may do so.
A bit of number; countries that have already experimented with the four-day workweek.
The year 2022 was jokingly referred to as the year of the four-day workday. This is the year that many companies in various European countries experimented with. But there have been experiments before that. We can look at the results of some countries. Here are some examples from Great Britain, Canada, and Japan.
Japan: In 2019, Microsoft Japan experimented with giving its employees a day off every Friday in August without lowering compensation. The outcomes were stunning. Productivity rose by 40 percent, and the company saw reduced energy and paper costs.
UK: In the UK, several companies were testing the four-day workweek. For example, Elektra Lighting moved to a four-day workweek in 2020, claiming several employee benefits, including improved physical and emotional health.
Canada: In Canada, some companies have also experimented with the four-day workweek. For example, Shake Interactive in Winnipeg switched to a four-day schedule in 2018 to improve employee satisfaction.
Another good example is Denmark. Denmark adheres to a five-day workweek system but actively practices a thirty-hour workweek – precisely the same amount of time as a four-hour workweek. Denmark is known for promoting work-life balance and good work productivity.
A glimpse into the future – is a standardized four-day workweek possible?
Considering the above, we can conclude that, in theory, such a change has more pros than cons. In practice, if well managed, it can bring benefits and positively affect employee productivity and customer satisfaction, bringing more revenue to employers.
The four-day workweek has yet to be standard worldwide, although studies and experiments have long proven the positive effect. Companies’ fear of losing money and reluctance to give employees indulgences stops them from introducing such a system shortly. However, it may become the workweek standard in the long term.
