Would You Rather . . . Have a Flexible Workplace or a 4-Day Workweek?

Historically, a dilemma has meant a choice between two equally bad options — the “horns” of a dilemma. More recent usage has expanded so that sometimes a dilemma can also mean choosing between two equally appealing options.

Which is the dilemma we present you today: Would you rather see your company offer a fully hybrid/remote workplace or a four-day workweek?

Both of these workplace trends are enormous disruptors that have gained momentum over the past couple of years and given millions of professionals a chance to reorder their work-life balance.

Both are loved by employees and have been shown to maintain or increase productivity and decrease an organization’s carbon footprint . Importantly, both are powerful attraction and retention tools at a time — yes, even now — when companies are struggling to fill roles and slow attrition.

And while they are related, the flexible workplace and the shorter workweek are not the same, and your preference for one over the other may be shaped by your location, industry, size, or company culture. As well, you’ll want to consider the added benefits and specific challenges of each.

Let’s start with remote and hybrid work, which has been more widely adapted (yet now faces an onslaught of backsliding from executives hell-bent to get everyone back to the office). Flexible work offers companies a clear opportunity to increase their talent pools, find more professionals from underrepresented groups , and reduce real estate costs.

In hybrid workplaces, organizations will have to take steps to mitigate proximity bias. Hybrid work also poses hurdles for onboarding and mentoring new hires and for keeping employees socially connected and free from burnout.

The four-day workweek, on the other hand, has been shown in study after study to reduce burnout and increase employee satisfaction . To achieve those results, companies need to look carefully at the feasibility of a shorter week and ensure that employees can worker smarter not harder. Success here comes from, say, cutting the length and frequency of meetings and providing employees with technology and tools to do their jobs more efficiently. (Have you met ChatGPT , your new best friend?)

So, which would you choose?

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