Less is More
There is no doubt about it, the business world has changed. And yes, Covid was probably responsible for many of the changes. Some changes have merely been accelerated by the pandemic and lockdown regulations, while others were new changes borne from necessity.
Now more than ever people are placing a higher premium on their time, some even opting not to take a promotion because it would mean less free time. It is therefore of little surprise that the new hype in the HR world is the possibility of the 4-day work week. Many countries are busy exploring this possibility and how it can be implemented. As with any new benefit the main concern is productivity. Will losing a day of work not result in a loss of productivity? Well, let’s have a closer look at this new trending topic.
Firstly it is important to discuss what is meant with a 4-day work week. For the purposes of this article a normal work week will consist of 40 working hours over 5 days. Now, having a 4-day work week does not mean dividing the 40 hours over 4 days instead of 5, it actually means reducing the working hours to 32. Yes, that means actually losing a day’s work. This may seem a bit drastic and very unrealistic, but reducing working hours is not a new concept. There was a time when employees in certain industries worked an average of 100 hours a week. Jump a few decades forward and those hours have more than halved. It is therefore not a new concept, just one that is being revisited with more interest.
Now for the big question: what are the possible advantages and disadvantages? Let’s start with the positive and look at the advantages. Luckily we do not have to deal in hypotheticals or speculate about benefits. Several studies have been done in different countries over different times. In Iceland for example, a study consisting of 2 500 employees and spanning 4 years recently published their findings (this being before the uptake in remote working). A similar study was conducted in Sweden, and several companies in New Zealand and Netherlands have implemented this strategy, and all offered similar results.
1. Higher productivity
Surprisingly losing a work day did not reduce employees’ productivity, it actually increased it! Because employees have more time to themselves, more time to spend with families or practicing a hobby, they are well-rested and less stressed and as such more motivated. This leads to a higher productivity at the office and a decrease in employees taking sick leave. Stanford University conducted an in-depth research that found that overworked employees are less productive when compared to employees that work a normal week.
2. Employee Wellness
When structured properly, a 4-day work week will allow employees more time to spend on that which they deem important. Employees are less stressed and better rested, meaning employees are more engaged. A sense of being taken care of by the company also lead to employees being more grateful towards their employers, which also contributed to the increase in productivity mentioned above.
Over the last couple of years it has become commonplace for employees to have a side-business or side-project. Up until recently employees had to divide their time — and attention — between their day job and their side project. With an additional day off, employees will be more focused on their day job while focusing on their side business over the extended weekend.
Another benefit is that employees have one less day to spend in traffic — sometimes up to 3 hours a day — which further reduces stress, saves money and also reduces an employee’s carbon footprint.
3. Environmentally friendly
Reducing our carbon footprint has been one aspect that many employees and companies strive to do. Having one less work day will mean less carbon emissions from various forms of public and private transport. For companies that do not have a work from home option, a shorter week will also mean saving on electricity and water usage at the office, while reducing the company’s environmental impact.
4. Balanced Home Environment
A somewhat unexpected benefit from the 4-day work week is a more balanced home-life among employees. Until very recently a large portion of family responsibility fell on one parent/partner. With both parents now able to spend more time at home with their families not only is there a better work-home balance, but they are also able to find a better distribution with family responsibilities. This may not be a direct benefit to a company, but it does lead to a better home life for employees, which will lead to happier and more productive employees.
It seems that the 4-day work week does offer some great benefits. Yet it cannot all be moonshine and roses and as with any concept there are two sides to consider. Having covered the positive side, let’s have a look at some negatives.
1. Unexpected Challenges
New ideas often lead to new and unforeseen challenges. If not resolved quickly, these challenges can lead to a loss in productivity, increased costs or a drop in customer service. As attractive as a 4-day work week may seem, some problems cannot be predicted and therefore can have a significant impact on the business. A question that has been raised is the aspect of pay — more specifically overtime. Many companies have implemented the 4-day work week trial without increasing pay — since employees now work less hours. The question now arises from when does overtime become payable? If an employee cannot complete their work within the reduced hours, can they claim overtime? Or will overtime only be considered after the ‘normal’ work week hours?
2. Incorrect Approach
This is a disadvantage that could very well be avoided, but is still worth mentioning. Some companies attempted to implement a 4-day work week, but instead of losing a day in the week, they attempted to condense the normal 40 hour work week into 4 days. This lead to employees being overworked, more stressed and facing more challenges.
Implementing an incorrect approach will have the opposite effect on employees and may very well cause more harm than good. Planning and consultation is of the utmost importance when considering the 4-day work week.
3. Customer Satisfaction
Certain companies had to return to a normal 5-day work week after they experienced a drop in customer satisfaction. The complaints stemmed from the public not being able to access certain services on Fridays and experiences longer turnaround times on problems they raised.
Customer satisfaction is definitely an important factor for any business, and should always be a consideration when implementing new ideas in a company. With that being said, this problem is another example of adopting the incorrect approach. Making use of available technology and software programs can assist in maintaining desired customer satisfaction levels. Another option may be to divide teams into groups, with some groups having Fridays off and others on Mondays — obviously depending on the operational requirements.
Be that as it may, it is worth noticing that a drop in customer satisfaction is a factor to consider when implementing the 4-day work week. In today’s world of online reviews and cancel culture, it is a factor that should be considered very seriously.
The caveat of the 4-day work week and all its promises of more productivity and happier employees is that it will not be a viable option for all companies. As was the case with working from home, some industries do not lend themselves to having a shorter week while still maintaining the same levels of productivity.
For the companies who are able to implement the 4-day work week, it will definitely count as a huge draw when looking to hire new talent, especially considering that off-time has become just a valuable consideration for potential new hires when considering a company’s offer. Being ahead of the curve with implementing the 4-day work week can lead to a more diverse and innovative talent pool within the particular organization. This in itself holds many benefits for companies.
