Who does not love a long weekend? Employees crave long weekends as it provides them a chance to spend more time with their families or energize themselves for the week ahead. Hence, a four-day workweek sounds amazing for most wage earners, yet such a working style is not for everyone.
To begin with, not all companies buy this idea. Furthermore, this working formula may not be suitable for some workers who might lose pace at work and thus affect their productivity. Before going further in the explanations, let us see if a 4-day work week suits you.
Why a 4-Day Workweek?
In most countries of the world, the workweek runs from Monday to Friday. A 2018 survey found that 70% of Canadian employees would accept a four-day workweek if offered, though only 55% of workers think it is feasible, denouncing work culture as the most significant barrier, as performance is often associated with long hours spent in the office.
Yet, according to a 2019 survey, people from the top five countries in the world for overall happiness work fewer hours than average. It means that people are happier when they feel they have an excellent work-life balance.
Many companies have already embraced this trend to take care of employee mental health, including Shopify, Microsoft, Unilever, Deloitte, KPMG, and much more.
Are 4-day Workweeks Better?
Many believe that working 4-days a week harms the productivity and company’s outcome. As great as it sounds, implementing a 4-day work week system is conducive to productivity. Employees get more time to re-energize themselves, so they return to work with great energy making their performance better. As a result, their performance levels, satisfaction, and commitment to the company increase. It also helps in decreasing stress levels.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a four-day workweek?
A four-day workweek is a new concept brought by the advancement of technology. Following are some of the advantages and disadvantages of a four-day workweek.
Increased Productivity
According to a study conducted by Sanford University, overworked employees’ performance was less productive when compared to employees who worked a typical workweek.
A New Zealand-based company carried out a study to check the outcome of a four-day workweek. The results revealed that the employees performed well and demonstrated increased job satisfaction, company loyalty, and improved teamwork.
Equal Workplace
According to the data, almost two million British people are currently not working due to childcare duties, and eighty-nine percent are women. If companies promote four-day workweeks, it will allow them to find better work opportunities. It might be easier for them to juggle childcare and employment responsibilities better.
Better Employee Engagement
Employees working for four days tend to be happier and more satisfied with their workplace. Employees working under pressure end up becoming frustrated. Stress leads to many health problems, which affects the employee’s performance and forces him or her to take sick leaves. Working for a four-day workweek provides employees ample time to rest and re-energize themselves for the upcoming challenges.
Customer Satisfaction
According to the Utah study, the results revealed fantastic environmental outcomes for employers and employees, but customer satisfaction suffered greatly. Many customers complained that due to the closure of offices on Friday, they could not connect to any services. This being said, it is always possible to implement a rotation of the employees’ schedule, allowing them to cover the opening hours.
Wrong Approach
Many employees thought a four-day workweek referred to compressed hours at work, but this should not be the case. When we talk about four days of work, it is four days of seven hours of work. Otherwise, such a concept will have the opposite effect to the desired one.
Why Nuage?
Nuage has always provided a workspace of a better work environment. Our Business Centre is a place where employee’s health and well-being are taken care of. We constantly strengthen the bond between the employer and employees who occupy the premises by providing them with all possible facilities. To know more, contact Nuage B.
