Should We Have a 4-day Working Week?

In its intended meaning, a four-day work week would reduce employees’ working hours by 20%, bringing them down to around 28 hours per week with no pay cut.

Why is a 4-day work week becoming more popular?

• Adopting a four-day work week has been shown to increase productivity in businesses all over the world across a wide range of industries.
• Reduced carbon footprint and expenditures for both companies and employees due to less frequent commuting and the elimination of an office day. According to 4 Day Week, a parent with two children may save £3,232.40 per year, or around £269.36 per month.
• Perpetual Guardian, a New Zealand-based organization, conducted a four-day work week pilot study. Employees not only maintained the same production level, but they also improved in job satisfaction, teamwork, work/life balance, and corporate loyalty. Workers also reported decreased stress, with a drop from 45% to 38%.
• 4 day working week improves workplace equality. According to Government Equalities Office research on the gender wage disparity, around two million British individuals are currently unemployed due to childcare duties, with 89% of these people being women. Employees would be able to spend more time with their families and better combine care and job commitments if the work week was reduced to four days.

What limits a 4-day working week?

• It is not appropriate for all sectors. Various industries require a seven-day-a-week presence, making a short work week impracticable. Emergency services, public transportation networks, and logistics are among examples.
• It has the potential to raise costs. Several industries, such as healthcare, need employees to work long shifts. Businesses in these locations may have to pay additional overtime or bring in extra help to make up for any gaps.
• Four-day workweeks creates and adds more tasks. While some employees are not on the clock, managers will spend more time scheduling meetings, customer contacts, and group assignments.

Why do some employees work a 5-day work week?

• Implementing a four-day work-week can be difficult as it requires the right support, technology and workplace culture. This can cause more work and stress upon employees and may lead to lack of motivation and lower quality of work produced.
• Working only four days a week may sound appealing, but the effects may leave employees with a jam-packed day with more meetings. This indicates significantly more intensity, which entails stress and burnout. Employers will eventually demand more commitment during the four days.
• Working a four-day workweek require flexibility, which is appropriate for those who do not have children. What happens, however, when parents who have established a five-day schedule are suddenly required to work additional hours in the day, forcing them to change to a more “convenient” four-day week.

Do you prefer a 4-day or a 5-day working week?

Author

Husna Stanakzai ~ Marketing Assistant Specialist

Buckingham Futures HQ

We are dedicated to providing our exceptional recruitment and consultancy services to you. With our team of specialist recruitment consultants, they will be able to assist you in your queries and job hunt.
Give us a call on 020 8125 4321 or email your CV to info@buckinghamfutures.com and let’s have a chat!

“Recruiting the Present, Inspiring the Future.” ~ Buckingham Futures