Coming Soon: The Four-Day Workweek

In light of workplace struggles during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the ongoing Great Resignation, many companies are looking to change the 40-hour-per-week paradigm in a variety of different ways. Some have opted for partially or fully remote schedules, while others are trying something else entirely. Yes friends, it’s the four-day workweek – and it could be coming to your favorite employer (the one you work at now) in the near future. Today we’re going to be talking all about the four-day workweek, so without further ado, let’s begin.

The Four-Day Workweek

You might say that defining the four-day workweek is quite obvious, and it is, but for the sake of being thorough, let’s expand on the idea just a bit. The four-day workweek is exactly what its namesake implies; however, despite less time being spent in the office, many employees will not suffer a reduction in salary. In other words, you’ll be getting paid for 40 hours while only working around 32 – capital!

The Benefits

Many companies are beginning to recognize employee burnout as a problem, and as such are finding ways to give their workers more rest. A well-rested employee will be more productive, and thus will more than likely accomplish the same amount of work in 32 hours as they would in 40 hours; possibly even more. Being productive and positive motivation go hand-in-hand, so employers should expect increased employee engagement under the four-day workweek paradigm. It’s a win-win!

Aside from the aforementioned boost in productivity, there are a host of other benefits for both the employer and its associates under the four-day workweek. For starters, an employer who offers the four-day workweek will experience higher employee retention, which means less spent on new hires and benefits packages. Further, long-term employees may be more loyal to their employer, and may have a better understanding of a company’s core values and intended message.

More productive employees will ultimately lead to better company performance and increased revenue. Remember, the more a company makes, the more potential you have to get that sweet cash during your next review or as a bonus. Many companies will be saving money as a result of closing their offices for an extra day during the week. For example, fewer supplies will be used, and less money will be spent on maintenance and utilities. Further, environmentally conscious companies will help reduce their carbon footprint with a four-day workweek.

The Story So Far

A grand experiment is about to take place. No, not the one in the basement with your cool robot you’ve been working on, the one being spearheaded by non-profit organization 4 Day Week Global. 4 Day Week Global was founded by Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart, and aims to provide a platform for companies and individuals who are in support of the four-day workweek. The non-profit has joined forces with think tank Autonomy and researchers at Boston College, Cambridge University, and Oxford University in order to collect data from a six-month long trial of more than 3,000 employees at 70 companies in the UK who are participating in a four-day workweek.

Several industries are participating in the experiment, including education, banking, financial services, food and beverage hospitality, information technology, digital marketing, and more. As of the present, the experiment is the largest four-day work week trial to ever take place, and could be the beginning of an entirely new way of working. Experts will analyze several key areas such as changes in employee stress and burnout, job satisfaction, sleep patterns, energy use, and overall health.

Depending on the results of the trial, the four-day workweek may become the norm in workplaces around the globe. For now, we can all just keep our fingers crossed and keep our eyes on the real prize – the three-day workweek (just kidding, kinda). We will provide more information as the trial is conducted, along with the results at the end of the six-month period. If you’d like to learn more about 4 Day Week Global, you can check out their website here.