4-Day Workweek: How realistic is it? ??
Michelle Coulson
I Help Senior Professionals Get a Remote Job/ Freelance Work ???? Go From Corporate Capitalism to Freedom & Fulfilment ???? Connecting Remote Companies With Remote Talent ???? Remote Work Advocate & Public Speaker ???
It’s no secret that working 9-to-5 for 5 days a week was never ideal for anyone; 9 hours isn’t enough time to get everything done, and 5 days doesn’t fit in with the average human’s energy cycle.
The pandemic and the ‘Great Resignation’ have shifted workplace flexibility: remote work has become the norm and a trend that some companies intend to continue. It has also exposed how important work-life balance is to both employees and employers. Flexibility has never been more in demand. Thus, some companies are now contemplating a 4-day workweek as a way to attract and retain top talent while maintaining productivity.
In fact, the demand for shorter weeks has been so great that tech companies like Basecamp, Bit.io, Buffer, Shopify, Elephant Ventures, Kickstarter, and Microsoft Japan all have done trial runs of 32-hour work weeks or have adopted 4-day workweeks on a seasonal or permanent basis. Great stuff! ??
But — although a shorter week inevitably contributes to the demand for more flexible work — does it tackle the risk of employee burnout? Or could it, in fact, only add to this growing concern for much of the workforce??
After six months of the world's biggest 4-day workweek trial, “most of the 33 companies and 903 workers trialling the schedule, with no reduction in pay, are unlikely ever to go back to a standard working week”, according to sources .?
At the end of the day, this comes down to embracing change. Quality over quantity of hours should be at the forefront of this discussion! When employees have more free time, they can spend more time with their loved ones, have more energy while working, and when they’re not working, they’re less stressed because the week doesn't seem so long. A traditional 9-5 job can make people feel like they're chained to their desks until 5 o'clock rolls around. Relaxed work environments can encourage creativity and innovation, which are essential for productivity and happiness at work.
So it’s time to bring current discussions around flexible work to the next level. STOP fitting your life around your job and land a remote job that fits around YOUR lifestyle!
Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry — I can help!
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Stay rebellious,
Michelle
143 B2B marketeers volgen nu mijn Demand Generation training, zodat ze op de shortlist van hun ideale klant komen - Community Builder - Trainer - B2B Influencer - Fractional CMO - Podcast Host ??
1 年What works for me (now that I live in Spain ?? ) is to start working at 07:00 till 14:00 en then go out for lunch, sports, relax, etc.. I am more productive then ever.
Content marketing and SEO ?? Remote advocate. Dog person. Live music fan. Adventuress. ??
1 年I think 4 day work weeks (8 hr days, full pay) can work with most roles. I feel like when you give folks a deadline and a reasonable amount of work, they'll focus more on what's in front of them and less on zoning out/procrastinating. I do that, anyway!
Client Relationship Manager | B2C Customer Experience, Networking, Engagement | I help social impact organisations & B Corp companies provide positive impacts to destinations, humanity & nature.
1 年Great article Michelle! Thanks for sharing! I absolutely think all companies should go this route, at least do the trial, and see what results you get :)
Information System and Analytics | Scrum Product Owner | EV-Enthusiast | Traveling
1 年4 day week is great. Every weekend is like a mini vacation. Further you got a weekday to do stuff which is only open during regular business hours. I can see the burnout argument especially when transitioning- but that's something which happens at 5 days or 6 days as well. Daily energy management may help in all those cases. Taking brakes, get up, move around. In Germany we have even a law for "Bildschirmarbeit" aka Screen-workers. You need to take a 5-10 minute paid-break every 50 minutes or a longer break every 90 minutes.
I help busy SaaS marketers reclaim their time through content writing that builds authority ?? B2B Copywriter & Content Writer ?? SaaS & Hospitality Expert ?
1 年I've been campaigning for the 4-days workweek since I was in school. There are countries already implementing this idea and I'm very much looking forward to seeing the outcomes.