Perils of the 4-Day Work Week: Give them an inch, and they’ll take Fridays

As a society, we are all familiar with the traditional 5-day work week: Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. But what about an alternative, like the 4-day work week? Is it just a nice-sounding buzzword to draw in employees, or is there more to it?

Employers around the world have been looking for innovative ways to attract and retain skilled workers in this Never-Normal world and workplace. One option gaining traction recently is the concept of a 4-day work week. I use the framework of concept intentionally because this change isn't as simple as it may appear. In my most recent Future Shock 2.0 segment on the top-rated #DigLifeDeep podcast hosted by John Aidan Byrne, I expose a few reasons why the #fourdayworkweek might not be the magic bullet that many employers expect.

What happens when “casual Fridays” meet workers’ demands for flexibility?

In its simplest form, the four day work week is merely an extension of casual Fridays. But instead of coming to work in tee shirts, jeans, and sandals, why not just work from home? Well that experiment worked until it didn’t. The pandemic drove a stake in the heart of traditional in-the-office work. Since many employers believed productivity was down on casual Fridays, the obvious next step was to progress to no work on Friday and voila: you have the 4-day workweek. What more could workers want? Three-day weekends every week of the year! Flexibility to schedule doctor appointments and do grocery shopping on your day off, and not worry about asking for time off or calling in sick.

What could possibly go wrong?

For many workers, four 10-hour shifts simply don’t work. First of all Monday through Thursday work weeks are only flexible for employees who aren’t torn in a million directions by kids, aging parents, and a host of other personal obligations and distractions. It doesn’t take into account that many parents need to drop off or pick their kids up from school or daycare (if they can arrange and afford childcare at all).? What about parents who split shifts with their spouses and partners? What about workers who commute an hour or more to work? Ten-hour days now become 12 to 14 hour days!

Now the fun begins.

The 4-day work week takes on a whole new meaning in a remote Everywhere, Anywhere workplace. Add to that the dimension of flexibility and most organizations are now operating in an environment with no rules Does a hybrid or remote 4-day workweek mean employees don’t need to log into devices, check emails, attend meetings on their day off? What happens if everyone doesn’t choose the same day off or even the same work schedule? Does it mean workers get paid for 40 hours but only work 32 hours?

Caveat Emptor.

For managers looking at the 4-day workweek as a magic bullet solution to meet worker demands for flexibility and/or location of work, caveat emptor! We are going to see a lot more attention given to 4- and maybe even 3-day work weeks. It is a solution worth considering. But mark my words. Expect to see a plethora of stories and case studies written why the four-day work week won’t and can’t work.??

Keep this in mind.

The problem isn’t the 4-day work week. Failure will be the result of na?ve managers who dangle it out there as a universal solution to a massively complex workforce full of diverse needs. The four day work week can and will work but only when 2nd and 3rd order effects are considered ... and you listen to the needs and demands of your workforce.

Do you agree? What did I miss?