4-Day Weeks... the new reality, or a disaster waiting to happen?

A 4-day work week has quickly become the latest workplace buzz. As the pandemic has opened up opportunities for more flexible working, a push for a shorter work week has been circulating. Multiple businesses across the UK are in the process of trialling a 4-day week, and research is being gathered to figure out if reduced working hours could become a reality across many industries.

But how can a 4-day work week be possible? As working culture has become increasingly digitalised, there has been growing pressure to provide constant access. Speed and accessibility have quickly become some of the most important features to the success of a business, and demand for 24-hour accessibility is higher than ever. This may seem incompatible with a 4-day working week, as fewer working hours could prevent the business from operating across a large range of hours in order to fulfil high demands for accessibility.

Despite this, many companies that are already operating on a 4-day a week basis suggest that with the correct measures, a business can still be successful with reduced hours. How can this be achieved?

• With the correct use of technology, organisation and infrastructure/software, the same level of work can be produced in less time. For example, if it is a difficult, time-consuming or confusing process for a customer to get in contact with your business, you are not making the best use of the operations available. With the correct technological help, you can ensure that your business can operate seamlessly, even if you are out of hours.
• 4-day work weeks can increase employee satisfaction, which can improve their quality of work and the amount of work that they produce. Long working weeks can sometimes cause employees to feel tired or unmotivated, which can have a damaging effect on the standard of their work. Alongside this, a 4-day work week is proven to increase company commitment and teamwork, and can significantly reduce stress.
• If you have enough employees, you can structure 4-day work weeks to ensure that your business has someone in the office each day. For example, if you have a set of secretaries, you could make sure that their extra days off were all different to make sure that your business is contactable throughout the week.

However, a 4-day work week isn't for everyone. For many industries, limiting hours may prove to be virtually impossible. In businesses that are demand-based, reduced working hours may lead to customer dissatisfaction, whereas in value-based industries, reduced accessibility may cause a potential client to go for another business that offers the same service. In healthcare industries, patients may be more reluctant to wait if they need care urgently.

4-day work weeks have proven to be beneficial for many businesses, particularly to improve employee satisfaction and decrease the carbon footprint of your business as a whole. But, a 4-day work week may not be for everyone. It is important to reflect on the nature of your business, the operations you are utilising and other variables to ensure that it could work for you.

Have you tried 4-day weeks in your office? Do you think less time at work would be beneficial for you? Comment below!