The shift to a 4 day work week has been gaining momentum since 2022, and for good motive. As an answer for individuals struggling attributable to pandemic-related stress, office stress, overwork and burnout, and the pressures of day by day lives, 4 day work weeks can be a part of the reply.
And 4 day work week experiments are now not occurring in a vacuum by progressive corporations. CNN named it one of many 9 most necessary new concepts in enterprise. Globally, nationwide governments have even sponsored trials of 4 day weeks.
And 4 day work weeks don’t simply affect staff’ well-being, research have proven there are social, financial, and local weather advantages, along with a constructive impact on the corporate’s backside line.
On this submit, we’ll outline the 4 day work week, element the positives, and share our personal expertise adopting this mannequin, together with poignant recommendation from our CEO to corporations hoping to emulate our instance.
Compressed vs Lowered 4 Day Work Weeks
To be clear, we’re speaking a couple of lowered 4 day work week.
A 4 day work week may be described in two methods: compressed and lowered. A compressed work week divides a 35+ hour workload over 4 days with the identical wage and advantages as a conventional five-day work week. A lowered work week removes eight hours from the worker schedule, lowering whole working hours to 32 per week over 4 days with the identical wage and advantages as a conventional full-time place.
The 4 Day Work Week Is Undeniably Constructive: for Us and the Planet
Analysis performed by the non-profit group 4 Day Week International reveals the clear good thing about a 4 day work week mannequin. The group studied 33 corporations in 6 completely different international locations that decreased their worker’s workload to 4 days (32 hours every week) throughout a six-month trial. The experiment questioned whether or not staff may very well be as productive in 20 % much less time on the similar pay. The outcomes have been astonishingly constructive.
Corporations revealed a income improve of 8.14 % in the course of the trial, and an unbelievable 37.55 % improve in comparison with the identical six-month interval the earlier yr. New hires elevated by 12.16 % over the course of the trial. Maybe much more unbelievable, these outcomes got here in the course of the “Nice Resignation,” a time in 2022 when employees have been quitting their jobs at document charges attributable to burn-out, want for a greater work-life steadiness, and feeling that their jobs weren’t assembly their expectations.
Worker satisfaction was at an all-time excessive in the course of the trial, with 96.9 % saying they positively needed to proceed having a 4 day work week. They reported a decline in stress and burn-out, elevated productiveness, and better job satisfaction. Workers have been in a position to spend extra time with household and pals, sleep higher, and improve time spent exercising.
A lowered work week has additionally confirmed vital environmental, financial, and social advantages. Carbon emissions lower with much less commuting and staff socialize extra with a three-day weekend. In flip, this helps companies and, in some international locations, desired inhabitants development. Japan, for instance, has traditionally had an intense working tradition: “karoshi,” a time period which means “demise from overwork,” was coined within the Seventies. Nonetheless, the nation lately launched new tips to encourage corporations to make a shift to a 4 day work week in an effort to encourage a more healthy work-life steadiness. Japan hopes that anticipating the additional break day will push residents to spice up the economic system by spending extra money, and even result in elevated marriage and start charges.
Why We Jumped On Board the 4 Day Pattern
On account of the pandemic, many corporations are placing work-life steadiness entrance and heart, and a 4 day work week could be a enormous a part of that effort. With happier, well-rested staff, corporations see a rise in earnings and productiveness, and giving staff extra flexibility — lowered hours and distant/hybrid work preparations — helps retain the staff members they’ve invested money and time into coaching. As evidenced by job websites like 4DayWeek.io, worker demand for the 4 day work week is excessive.
At SPI, a 4 day, lowered work week was applied to start with of 2022 throughout a trial interval. The outcomes from the staff aligned with the worldwide research cited above. Workers reported they have been extra motivated and productive, accomplished duties on deadline, supported one another extra, and felt a stronger sense of connection inside the staff. Workers additionally took the additional time to select up new hobbies, train extra, full home tasks forward of time, and have extra high quality time with household and pals. Unsurprisingly, we’ve determined to maintain the 4 day work week in place completely.
“Don’t Rush It”
The 4 day work week has undeniably been a house run for Workforce SPI. So what would we advocate to different corporations hoping to observe swimsuit? Right here’s what our CEO, Matt Gartland, needed to say about it:
“As Uncle Ben famously stated to younger Peter Parker, ‘with nice energy comes nice accountability.’
“The 4 day work week is a good energy for the trendy office. It is a real aggressive benefit in addition to an embodiment of necessary cultural values. It is undeniably the way forward for work, particularly for these of us who run remote-based corporations with distributed groups. It may possibly foster nearer togetherness inside the staff. It may possibly nurture extra dedication to the mission of the corporate at giant.
That is all actually superior. It is also actually critical.
The alternative of these outcomes is feasible with a hasty implementation. Particulars are essential to outline and align on expectations for a way the 4 day work week goes to truly work in addition to how its effectiveness goes to be evaluated. This is the massive one: Below what situations might the 4 day work week be deemed to be ineffective and thus topic to rollback?
At SPI, we devoted numerous time and power to defining our tackle a 4 day work week. This system particulars have been the topic of energetic conversations with the staff. Those self same working particulars have been codified formally into our governing worker handbook. This course of took months. That is the way you deal with this superior alternative with the respect it deserves.
So lean into it. It is value it. Simply do not rush it.”
Workers are happier to work for a corporation the place they really feel valued and appreciated. It’s unlikely that the world will make the shift to a 4 day work week in a single day, however corporations are realizing that to retain staff and entice new employees they should embrace a more healthy work-life steadiness. The momentum behind the 4 day work week continues, and we’re eager to see what constructive, compounding results it reveals.