The four-day workweek is trending after a large-scale trial conducted in the U.K. was considered a resounding success. Over 60 British companies tested a four-day workweek for six months, finding that productivity held steady and employee retention rates were high. Now, 90% of the participating companies plan to continue the experiment. Similar trials conducted in other countries, including the U.S., Japan, New Zealand, and Iceland, have shown that shorter workweeks result in happier workers.
The COVID-19 pandemic shook up the workplace en masse, giving workers of all generations fresh ideas about what they want their work lives to look like. Zs, specifically, have big ideas about what a workplace revolution should entail. Highly concerned about the issue of mental health, Zs are pushing back against hustle culture that leads to burnout. Zs are increasingly setting boundaries that allow them to claim work-life balance… or resign.
- A majority of Gen Zs prioritize personal happiness over swift corporate success, according to The Harris Poll's The Future of Ambition report.
- 62% of Zs say a four-day workweek is among their top three priorities when it comes to workplace benefits, according to LinkedIn's Workforce Confidence survey —?which also points out that Gen Z women are the demo most interested in shorter workweeks.
- 66% of Zs who are not satisfied with their companies’ back-to-work policies are considering resigning and finding a new job (only 33% of Gen X and 17% of Baby Boomers feel the same), according to a study conducted by Harris Poll and HR Brew.?
- It’s not just employees who are warming to the concept of a shorter workweek; employers are starting to get onboard too. In the U.S., big-company and mid-market employees are most receptive to a shorter work week, according to research conducted by LinkedIn. Cisco, for example, is experimenting with a four-day work week for some HR teams.
- Meanwhile, decreased time at work has actually been linked to increased revenue. According to a recent study conducted by the non-profit organization 4 Day Week Global (4WDG), companies that have participated in short work week experiments have reported revenue increases of up to 38%.?
SO, IS THE FOUR-DAY WORKWEEK HERE TO STAY?
Yes — but that doesn’t mean we’d recommend it for every organization. What your company needs to be talking about, however, is how to create a healthy workplace where flexibility is valued. Coming out of the pandemic, the notion of the shorter workweek has gone mainstream. Gen Zs will not soon forget the freedom employers gave them in 2020 and 2021, and how it benefited them. Today, nearly 80% of all American workers believe they have more power to change the way they live than they did before the pandemic, according to a Harris Poll survey. So expect Gen Z job candidates to ask for the flexibility they want — and hold out for employers willing to offer it up. What should your company be doing to respond to this new landscape of work?
- Launch a four-day workweek trial. You won’t know how a shortened workweek will impact your business until you try it — so go for it! Consider different designs that might work best, whether it’s 10-hour shifts that maintain the 40-hour week, or shrinking the week to 32 hours. Whether it’s something you stick with or not, be transparent about the results of the trial so employees can understand pros and cons.
- Value both flexibility and face time. While Gen Z digital natives value workplace flexibility, they crave human connection too. In fact, while more than half of Gen Z workers said workplace flexibility is a priority for them, 24% prefer a full-time in-person situation, according to Cosmo's recent Future of Work survey. Remember, Zs are looking for mentorship to fuel early career growth — and that can be hard to find on Zoom.
- Make that meeting an email. In today’s era of burnout, everyone is seeking increased efficiency. Prioritize communication that gives Zs back time in their day. If an all-hands or client meeting can be an email or online survey, everyone will appreciate that.?
- Reflect the new landscape of work across products, services, and ads. As the workplace continues to evolve, the conventional 9-to-5 feels less and less culturally relevant. Zs are looking for depictions of careers where greater emphasis is placed on values, purpose, and relationships.
- Reimagine Fridays. Gen Xers put their own spin on workplace culture by introducing Casual Fridays, and we expect Zs to imprint their own cultural values on that last day of the week. Whether it’s a WFH day, the first day of the weekend, or a team-building day spent outside the office with colleagues, Friday is ready for its rebrand.
Gen Alpha will soon be entering the workforce too. To check out our latest research on Alphas — and how brands can connect with them — download our latest ALMANAC report here!
