Four-Day Workweek: The New Trend Sweeping the Globe

A new trend is sweeping workplaces across the nation. The current generation of workers is ditching the 9 to 5 for an alluring alternative: four ten-hour workdays, making a three-day weekend the norm.?

Companies that have tested this schedule have reported overwhelmingly positive results. Primarily, a four-day workweek has provided businesses with increased productivity, reduced turnover and absenteeism, improved employee health & well-being, and benefits for the environment.

What is a four-day workweek??

A four-day workweek breaks from the traditionally accepted schedule: Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Employees work four consecutive ten-hour workdays, followed by a three-day weekend.?

The employers that have tried this system do so for a variety of reasons. Different motivations for this shift range anywhere from a desire to increase productivity to a push to retain employees with cost-effective benefits.

But the 9-to-5, Monday through Friday schedule has been in place for years. Why mess with a good thing? Why alter what seems to be such an effective strategy? This schedule shake-up may carry more benefits than you think.?

Benefits of a four-day workweek?

The benefits of a four-day workweek, for employers and employees alike, are still being discovered and proven. Below are some potential perks of the four-day workweek; see for yourself what a shift in schedule could do for your company.

Increase in productivity?

Employers that switch to a four-day schedule could improve productivity within their teams. While the team’s time during the week appears to be limited, the compression of the week can actually be effective in streamlining workflows and projects.

In the process of adjusting to the four-day workweek, teams can examine the tasks at hand and establish refined, more efficient schedules and methods for accomplishing those tasks. The workweek's procedural overhaul and compression help illuminate and eliminate problem areas, increasing the team’s overall productivity.?

Reduced turnover and absenteeism?

When you switch to a four-day workweek, you may see a decrease in absenteeism and employee turnover. More time off for family, friends, chores, hobbies, and activities means less need to take excessive time off at other times, which means less PTO to hand out.

When working conditions are conducive to a healthy work-life balance and good mental health, employees tend to stick around. Decreased turnover is a direct result of the quality of the work environment and its effects on the individual employee in all aspects of their lives.

Improved health & well-being for employees?

The four-day workweek is already improving the health and well-being of the affected employees. Burnout-or exhaustion due to overworking and excessive stress-is a widespread, serious, and debilitating condition. Burnout plagues the workforce across industries, and it can cost employers.?

Employers that implement a four-day workweek allow their employees to take more time for themselves. An extra weekend day can be monumental in its effect on employee mental health and well-being.?

Individuals who follow a four-day workweek are able to spend more time with their family and friends. They also have more time to complete personal chores and tasks–you know, all the stuff on your to-do list that never gets done. This eases their mental and physical load and decreases the chance of burnout.

These employees can also spend more time on their hobbies and passions. Individuals who have time to pursue their interests outside of work may generally feel happier and more satisfied. It’s been proven, time and again, that happy, fulfilled employees are more productive and effective.

Environmental benefits?

Because many employees work on-site, a four-day workweek has significant benefits for the environment. Decreased commutes mean decreased carbon emissions, enabling working individuals to reduce their pollution.?

While it is true that there are currently a relatively small number of companies practicing a four-day schedule, the companies that do are indeed reducing their carbon footprint. While one company’s impact appears negligible at first, the effect of a national shift to a four-day week would eliminate emissions by one-fifth. A shift that radical would have dramatic positive implications.

Companies that make the shift to a four-day workweek not only improve their employees’ health, well-being, and productivity, but also perform an effective and simple environmental initiative.

Possible Downsides of a Four-Day Workweek

The four-day workweek appears to have a number of potential benefits. It’s also important to recognize any potential downsides that may come with implementing such a shift in your company. These downsides may include increased workload pressure, reduced productivity, customer service limitations, communication challenges, and potential disruptions to work-life balance.

As the concept of a four-day workweek is being experimented with by some companies- and actually gaining traction- it is essential to assess the potential negative aspects of this alternative work arrangement. While a shorter workweek advertises the benefit of improved work-life balance and increased satisfaction among employees, carefully and critically evaluate the potential drawbacks that your company may face.?

One of the primary issues bosses have with a four-day workweek is its potential impact on employee productivity. While many employees may benefit from having an extra day off, this new schedule would likely lead them to compress the same amount of work into fewer days, therefore leading to increased stress and burnout. Additionally, this condensed schedule may limit the time allotted for in-depth thinking, collaboration, and creative tasks, which can potentially hamper a company’s overall productivity levels.

In certain industries or roles, one person’s workload can be extremely different from the next individual’s. For those with heavier workloads, condensing the workweek into four days can add pressure and stress when they attempt to complete their tasks within a tighter timeframe. This trend can lead to an increased risk of work-related exhaustion. For these individuals, the perceived benefits of a long weekend may be offset by the increased intensity of the workload during the other four days.?

Efficient communication and collaboration are key to a well-functioning organization. Making the switch to a four-day workweek could interrupt existing channels of communication, especially if the employees' schedules do not align. It may become challenging to communicate with one’s team members and coworkers, potentially hindering projects and tasks, delaying decision-making processes, and negatively affecting employee morale and the team dynamic.

Industries that focus primarily on customer support and service may face significant hurdles within a condensed workweek. Customers’ expectations for prompt responses and quick assistance may not align with the schedule of a shorter workweek, which can lead to potential dissatisfaction and customer loss. Companies that would like to shift to a four-day workweek must devise new strategies to ensure seamless coverage during their employees’ off days. These plans may incur additional costs or complexities in operation.

Though proponents of the four-day workweek often promote the practice as a means to improve work-life balance, the shifted schedule may inadvertently disrupt some employees’ equilibrium. People that function best with a structured routine- or who use their off days to pursue personal projects, hobbies, or side jobs- may find it challenging to adjust to the compressed work schedule. Moreover, individuals with familial or domestic responsibilities or who rely on specific services that are available only on weekdays may also find the change to be difficult.

Conclusion

The four-day workweek is on the rise and is trending across industries. The benefits have spoken for themselves, and it may only be a matter of time before most companies adopt the practice nationwide and across the globe.

It may take a bit of effort to make this switch; test it out among your employees and let the results unfold before you. If you-? like employers that have already made the switch- find that this schedule increases your company’s productivity and the wellness of your employees, then fully make the switch to a four-day week and reap the benefits.

STAND 8 is an end-to-end solutions company specializing in solving business challenges with a focus on people, process, and technology. Contact us to learn how we can streamline and elevate your business.

Source: https://medium.com/@stand8it/four-day-workweek-the-new-trend-sweeping-the-globe-93cf804d055d