The 4-day working week; is your business ready?

Writer’s bio:

I am Luke Barnes, an aspiring occupational psychologist who has just finished their master’s degree. Where I may lack in experience, I certainly make up for in critical thought and enthusiasm (not to mention my obvious good looks). I love all things occupational psychology and am constantly looking out for new opportunities in the field to help wherever I can. So, if you’re someone who’s deep in the waters of occupational psychology, drop me a message! I’d love to connect!

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t want a 4-day work week? Just the idea of having the working week reduced to 4 days while maintaining the same pay is enough to make anyone jump - that is, if you’re an employee. If you’re an employer, on the other hand, you might be a little more cautious when approaching this idea. But whether you’re open to it, considering it, or even closed to the idea of implementing a 4-day work week in your company, then you’re in the right place because this blog post will tell you what you need to know…

The Good

The main reasons for advocating for a 4-day work week stem from case studies that report some major benefits after implementing this schedule in the workplace. These benefits include increased productivity, improved employee well-being, better work-life balance, greater employee retention, and reduced absenteeism among others. Landmark case studies in Iceland and New Zealand also show similar findings such as improvements in employee satisfaction, engagement, and health.

This research and the successful application of this work schedule in many businesses highlight the positive impact of the 4-day work week for employers and employees alike. By now, you’re probably asking ‘but if it’s so good, why isn’t everyone doing it?’ Just be patient I’m getting to that part…

The Bad

Nothing can ever be 100% perfect, and the case for a 4-day work week is no exception. When researchers caught up, they found evidence that while the change may initially seem beneficial, the true effect on productivity may be more complex than it seems, it can result in increased managerial control, heightened pressure to maintain 100% efficiency, and more intense performance measurements. All of which can be argued to be the opposite of what a company and its employees need.

There are also issues with the academic literature with a lack of longer studies, exclusion of costs to implement, and exclusion of barriers to implementation.

So, if some companies say it’s great and some companies say it’s not, it may seem as though the 4-day work week has great potential, but only if it is implemented correctly and certain aspects are taken into consideration…

The Employers’ Perspectives

When researched, employers gave an optimistic but very cautious view of the 4-day work week. While employers acknowledge the benefits that many companies are reporting, these are outweighed by other considerations such as external perceptions, organisational and cultural dynamics, productivity and legal concerns, etc.

However, most of these are seen as challenges to overcome. What’s more important is what should be considered before implementing this work arrangement in order to make it a success. Employers believe that company size and structure, industry type, Individual employee suitability, and the state of the economy are all important considerations that could be the difference between a successful or unsuccessful implementation of a 4-day work week.

Interestingly, this is similar to the factors that some studies point to. In some flexible work arrangements, successful implementation depends on factors such as leadership style, organizational culture, and type of industry. Other studies suggest that careful planning including staggered and flexible shifts may be the key to implementing a 4DWW even in the most difficult circumstances.

So, taken together, what does this mean?

The Takeaway

If you’re an employer that is currently thinking of implementing a 4-day work week for your employees, here is what you need to consider:

-          Company size and structure – do you have the resources, the workload, the communication infrastructure, and the coordination to move to 4-day weeks without disrupting productivity?

-          Industry type – does the type of work that your employees do allow for a shift to a 4-day work week and if so, how will you keep productivity high?

-          Individual employee suitability – perhaps some employees work better on 4-day weeks than others. Maybe consider allowing some employees to switch provided that they maintain efficiency rather than switching the whole workforce to be on this schedule.

-          The economy – does the current state of the economy allow for risks to be taken?

-          Company culture – will your employees view the 4-day work week as a reward for working hard or as an extra holiday?

Based on current research into the 4-day work week, it is recommended that these aspects are carefully considered before making the switch. Of course, any other challenges are worth considering, but these aspects could be the difference between a 4-day flourish and a 4-day flop.

So, if you’re thinking of switching to a 4-day theme park, just make sure the rides are working first.

The 4-day work week is less about time and more about trust, autonomy, and culture. Before any organisation shortens its week, it should ask: "Do we have the psychological foundations to make it work?”

A big thanks to Luke for sparking this conversation in our community. If you’re curious about the psychology behind workplace design, leadership, and wellbeing, you’ll fit right in at the Psychology Business Incubator.