In recent weeks, those who like to take our morning coffee with a shot of CBC News have been hearing about a vocational framework that turns every weekend into a long weekend.\u00a0 Trouble is that, on the surface, the framework sounds a little bit…wacky.<\/p>\n
The traditional workweek has always been five days a week, eight hours a day.\u00a0 But as we progress into the 21st century, many employers and employees are now advocating for a shorter workweek, and the idea of the four-day workweek is gaining traction.<\/p>\n
And wacky-sounding or not, a recent bill normalizing the four-day work week introduced to US Congress means that the idea is something that many of us will need to take seriously enough at least to consider.\u00a0 California Rep. Mark Takano, who recently reintroduced the bill, says it would \u201callow workers to begin reclaiming their time, and their lives, with no loss of pay\u201d and \u201cincrease the happiness of humankind.\u201d<\/p>\n
The four-day workweek is a concept where employees work four days a week instead of five, with the same or similar pay and benefits as their counterparts working a traditional five-day week.\u00a0 The idea is to give employees an extra day off to rest, recharge, and pursue personal interests while still maintaining productivity levels at work.\u00a0 As the battle to attract and retain top talent rages on across almost all types of businesses, the perk of more free time stands as a highly compelling motivator for employers to offer.<\/p>\n
The pros of a four-day work week are:<\/strong><\/p>\n However, there are also some potential cons of a four-day workweek, including:<\/p>\n For the four-day workweek to be successful, a few essential factors must be considered.\u00a0 Firstly, employers must set clear employee expectations and goals, emphasizing productivity and efficiency.\u00a0 Secondly, employees must manage their workload effectively and efficiently, ensuring they can complete their tasks within the reduced timeframe.\u00a0 Finally, communication and collaboration between employees must be optimized to ensure that work tasks can be completed efficiently and effectively.<\/p>\n Reading these back, one can\u2019t help but wonder \u2013 should we not already be focused on integrating these practices into our workplaces?<\/p>\n The four-day workweek has been used successfully in various countries and industries.\u00a0 In New Zealand, for example, a financial services company, Perpetual Guardian, implemented a four-day workweek in 2018, resulting in improved work-life balance and increased productivity.\u00a0 In Japan, Microsoft also experimented with a four-day workweek and has documented how it lead to improvements in employee happiness and productivity.\u00a0 Other companies that have implemented the four-day workweek successfully include Shake Shack and Unilever.<\/p>\n Currently, there is no law mandating the use of a four-day workweek.\u00a0 However, some countries, including Germany and the Netherlands, have laws in place that allow employees to reduce their working hours.\u00a0 Closer to home, some rural Ontario municipalities are implementing the four-day work week<\/a> for their operations.\u00a0 We’re sure many others are keeping a keen eye on these experiments to watch how they turn out.<\/p>\n Understandably, many of us will balk at the idea of such a structure; it’s contrary to what we believe about productivity.\u00a0 It’s contrary to the current hustle culture.\u00a0 It may offend the work ethic of some folks.\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s just not being done.<\/em><\/p>\n Industries that require a five-day workweek, such as healthcare, retail, and manufacturing, may find it challenging to implement a four-day workweek due to the need for continuous operations and round-the-clock staffing.\u00a0 Restaurants and other services typically open seven days per week could struggle to amend their staffing structures.\u00a0\u00a0 The very idea of a 32-hour work week is very disruptive to so many.<\/p>\n On the other hand, those working within a more rigidly-structured Monday-to-Friday, 9-to-5 framework may think back to a time when they knew there was a long weekend coming up but still delivered a huge project on time.\u00a0 Perhaps some will consider a work week when they were about to head out for a week of vacation, and in the days leading up to their departure, they got deep into flow with their work \u2013 banging out everything on their to-do list and wondering why they couldn’t channel this burst of organized super-productivity every<\/em> week.\u00a0 It is, after all, a well-documented fact that time constraints can be used to drive personal productivity<\/a> to marvellous effect.<\/p>\n In conclusion, the four-day workweek is a concept that is gaining traction as employers and employees look for ways to improve work-life balance, reduce stress, and increase productivity.\u00a0 While there are pros and cons to consider, the four-day workweek has been used successfully in various countries and industries.\u00a0 However, it may not be suitable for every organization, and industries that require continuous operations and round-the-clock staffing may find it challenging to implement a four-day workweek.\u00a0 Nonetheless, with careful planning and clear communication, the four-day workweek can be a viable option for many organizations looking to enhance their employees’ well-being and productivity.<\/p>\n Congressman wants to make 32-hour workweek US law to ‘increase the happiness of humankind’<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n New pilot project in the UK tests 4-day work week<\/em><\/p>\n More days off: 4-day week works for Edmonton public relations agency<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n
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What makes the four-day work week work?<\/h2>\n
Who’s out there using it successfully?<\/h2>\n
Is it already law in any jurisdictions?<\/h2>\n
What types of organizations are best suited to experimenting with the four-day work week?<\/h2>\n
More reading on the four day work week:<\/h2>\n