Is the 4-Day Work Week Really Possible?
The 4-day work week is slowly rising in popularity around the world. In the US, for instance, the state representative of California, Mark Takano, proposed legislation in 2021 that would put a four-day work week into effect. Whether it will be put to law or not, the question still stands, is the program really possible?
The 4-day work week is possible. Various organizations worldwide have tried it, while some are still undertaking the trial program. Most of these organizations have reported positive results, including increased productivity, reduced employee stress levels, and improved work/life balance.
In this article, I will discuss in depth whether working four days a week is possible and explain why. I will also provide you with strategies to successfully implement this work program in your organization, so read on!
Reasons Why the 4-Day Work Week Is Feasible
We are used to a culture of working 40 hours a week with a 2-day weekend of rest. Recently, several organizations have been running campaigns pushing for a shorter workweek. Some firms have even tried the 4-day work week for themselves.
Here are some reasons why this work program can become a reality for most companies.
Reducing the Number of Work Days in a Week Is Not a New Concept
Did you know that before the 19th century, workers had up to nine-day work weeks?
The weeks of the French revolutionary calendar constituted ten days. One out of the ten was a rest day. On the other hand, workers and school-going children in Ancient Rome rested for one day every eight days. In the US, laborers typically worked six days a week.
However, the commencement of the 19th century saw a cotton milling company in the US reduce its working days to five. This arrangement enabled the company's Jewish workers to observe the Sabbath.
Henry Ford, the founding father of the Ford Motor Company, followed suit in 1926. He implemented the five-day work week and ensured his employees worked a maximum of 40 hours a week without reducing their pay. This afforded him prominence in the history of traditional weekends.
The rest of the US companies began emulating this arrangement gradually to combat the high unemployment rate due to the Great Depression. And in 1940, the Fair Labor Standards Act was put into practice. This labor law instructed employees to work 40 hours a week utmost. It also affected the 2-day weekend countrywide.
Over the following years, countries across the globe took up the 2-day weekend culture to complement the global markets. This was either a Friday/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday combination.
As you can see, the 5-day workweek wasn't in practice until the 19th century. Before that, workers labored for more hours a week. Hence, if the reduction of working hours proved successful then, why wouldn't it be successful now?
Modern Technology Has Increased Our Productivity
Since the olden days, technology has continually influenced how workers perform at the workplace.
Undoubtedly, present-day technology has significantly boosted the rate at which we work. Developments in communication and manufacturing have not only improved efficiency but also the speed of work.
Today, software has simplified labor-intensive tasks. A typical case is the use of document-management technology to substitute physical data entry, file organization, and retrieval, which are otherwise time-consuming.
Additionally, specific tasks can now be automated, improving operational efficiency while, at the same time, reducing human errors and delays in the workflow. For instance, A.I.-powered chatbots are now used in companies as virtual digital assistants, directing clients' queries and requests where needed.
In short, what would have been achieved in hours can now be efficiently and effectively done in minutes. This means employees can work for fewer days and still achieve the same results, if not more, with modern technology.
Companies That Undertook a Pilot Program Report Positive Results
If you are still wondering whether the 4-day work week is possible, this should change your mind: There are actual success stories regarding the program!
A Philadelphia-based software company, Wildbit, experimented with the 4-day work week in 2017. Now the company has made this working schedule permanent for its employees. To date, they report improved work quality and better work/life balance, among other benefits.
The country of Iceland also announced the massive success of the program. Around 2,500 workers from various organizations, including schools and hospitals, participated in the trial between 2015 and 2019. This pilot program was led by the Iceland National Government and Reykjavík City Council. They reported improved productivity in most workplaces.
The 4-day work week also proved successful in Microsoft's Japan branch. The company rolled out a project in 2019 that saw its entire employees have all the five Fridays of August off. At the end of the project, they recorded a whooping 40% increment in productivity.
Besides a boost in productivity, the management also noted the following:
Electricity expenses were reduced by 23%
The number of printed paper pages went down by 59%
92% of employees were happy with shorter working days.
That's not all. In 2018, a New Zealand company, Perpetual Guardian, piloted a four-day work week for some of its staff during March and April. Most of these employees reported an improved work-life balance at the end of the trial. In fact, the number increased by 24% from 54%, as reported in November of 2017.
The workers' stress levels also dropped by 7%, while the number of satisfied employees rose by 5%. The management also noted a remarkable improvement in employee motivation, commitment, and empowerment.
Unilever in New Zealand also trialed the 4-day week program in 2021, which lasted for a whole year.
These are but a few success stories that have been experienced across the globe.
As a result, more countries and organizations are jumping on the pilot program bandwagon. This program is run by the 4 Day Week Global, a nonprofit organization, and the University of Oxford. These institutions help firms implement the trial project and evaluate the effects of the 4-day workweek program.
The program involves companies giving employees three days off work for six consecutive months. During this period, the workers operate the usual eight hours daily and receive the same pay for working five days a week. This model is called the 100:80:100, where employees get 100% payment for working 80% of the time while being 100% productive.
To achieve this model, companies undergo seminars to determine the best ways to get work done effectively and efficiently. Each business is also put under the wings of a company that has already undergone the program for mentorship.
Countries that are currently undergoing the trial program include:
United States of America
United Kingdom
Canada
New Zealand
Australia
Ireland
The US businesses participating in the program include small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and large-scale organizations. The majority of these are typical white-collar sectors.
How To Make a 4-Day Workweek Possible
Successful transitioning to a 4-day workweek program is a comprehensive process. It isn't as simple as sending a circular to all the company departments to introduce change. You will have to exercise change management.
Change management refers to the mechanisms that prepare and support individuals when making organizational transitions and developments.
Here are some strategies to make your organization's transition to a 4-day work week successful.
Set Clear Goals and Expectations
When it comes to an outcome-based work program, there shouldn't be any room for uncertainty. The first step to establishing a productive, shortened workweek is determining your expected outcomes in each team.
To avoid confusion, it is best to have defined plans and clear guidelines concerning the 4-day workweek program.
As management, consider providing clear expectations on performances. Set goals based on expected outcomes, not hours. These goals should be measurable and achievable within the shortened period.
Measurable goals help you track teams' progress, enabling you to know if your employees can achieve productivity in fewer days. Tracking performances also allow for goal adjustments and corrections of missed courses.
On that note, it's also crucial to celebrate achieved goals. Recognize and reward teams for any great work as a way of motivating and maintaining their engagement.
Re-Evaluate and Designate Tasks
Now that you have set the outcomes for each team, it is vital to have the right talents to achieve them.
It is, therefore, wise to designate tasks for employees with the right skills to achieve the set goals within a short period. This calls for re-evaluating roles and analyzing your workers' skill sets. Determine their strengths and weaknesses to assign them the roles accordingly.
Providing your employees with the required resources to achieve the outcomes is also important. These resources can include training, machinery or technology, or even a level of independence.
On that note, trust your teams to deliver and defy the need to micromanage them. Trust brings favorable outcomes. Avoid getting in their way; let them regularly update you on their progress. This means that you'll also need to develop a channel of communication that's pleasant for them to approach you with questions and updates.
Increase Automated Operations
As mentioned earlier, using modern technology in the workplace has simplified manual tasks that are time-consuming. Most organizations are leveraging digital technologies such as automation to replace manual operations. This enables large amounts of work to be done within a short period. Consider this approach to make a shortened work week a success.
You can invest in automated software for tasks like:
Data entry, deletion, and backup
Transaction tracking
Customer support ticketing
Email marketing
Acquisition and hiring of employees
Scheduling meetings
Managing invoices and expenses
Tracking receipts
Accounting reconciliation
Workflow automation not only saves time but also allows teams to work smarter. Employees can use the freed-up time to attend to tasks that require an objective approach, creativity, or human touch.
Watch this short YouTube video by Help Systems to learn about the benefits of process automation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1LtSiVCJfc
Maximize Working Hours
To ensure 100% workplace productivity, your team must fully use the allocated working time doing work-related stuff. This involves cutting down the time spent on non-work-related activities.
According to statistics, an average office employee is productive 31% of the time. This translates to only 2 hours 53 minutes daily and 12 hours 30 minutes weekly.
The rest of the time is usually spent on unproductive activities like:
Spending time on social media
Chit-chatting with colleagues about non-work-related things
Texting or making calls that are not associated with work
Taking breaks to smoke, preparing meals, eating snacks, e.t.c
It's, therefore, crucial to emphasize the importance of cutting down on distractions to improve output at the workplace.
Additionally, consider reducing work-based activities like social events and unproductive meetings. Did you know businesses waste an average of 24 billion hours per annum due to unproductive meetings? At this rate, the overall employee output will drop even further if the 4-day workweek program is implemented.
To curb this, it's best to cut down on meeting time by introducing a standard policy.
For instance, you can set the time frame of the meetings to be strictly 45 minutes and allocate a specific date and time. Properly plan for each session by setting clear goals and structured agendas. Allocate time for each activity.
It's also best to communicate to attendees beforehand about what they are required to prepare to reduce time wastage during the meeting. Also, consider distributing documents or sharing links to the meeting's agenda early for attendees to go through them.
A facilitator will also be needed to manage the activities to meet the set objectives. They should be able to keep track of time and ensure everyone is on track by eliminating back-and-forth discussions.
Conclusion
The main aim of a 4-day workweek is to provide flexibility to workers without compromising productivity. Research has shown that a shortened workweek not only increases productivity at the workplace but also reduces stress and improves employees' work/life balance.
The introduction of modern technology that improves overall efficiency and trial runs of the 4-day work week program prove that this is definitely feasible. Applying strategies like clear goal setting and maximizing work hours can help ensure that your transition into a 4-day work week is a success.
Sources
Big Issue: What is the four-day working week and how close is the UK to getting it?
The Guardian: Work less, get more: New Zealand firm's four-day week an 'unmitigated success'
BBC News: Four-day week 'an overwhelming success' in Iceland
Zavvy: How to Implement a 4-Day Workweek: Examples and Strategies
Forbes: Implementing A Four-Day Workweek? 15 Important Factors To Consider First
Fast Company: Yet to try a 4-day week? Here’s how to do it productively
Zippia: 20 Incredible Productivity Statistics [2022]: The State of Productivity in 2022