Is a 4-Day Workweek Actually Good For Productivity? Let’s Find Out
Have you ever wanted to move to a 4-day workweek? If so, your dreams might come true sometime soon.
Some companies in the UK are participating in a pilot program for a 4-day workweek, and the results might surprise you.
People have been pushing for a reduced workweek for a while now. Since the pandemic, the idea has become more realistic for companies, especially as remote work opportunities increase.
The idea of a shorter workweek is becoming more real as companies grow and evolve in a changing workplace. In this article, we discuss why people want a 4-day workweek and how it could potentially impact productivity for both team members and companies.
Why a 4-Day Workweek?
One primary reason people want a shorter workweek is that it provides more time for personal matters, such as family time, side work, or just relaxation. I mean, who wouldn’t appreciate an extra day off?
Having another day off can allow people to do things they enjoy, spend time with loved ones, and spend time focusing on themselves and their health.
Additionally, a lot of people feel that a shortened workweek might be a good idea because sometimes, they are just making their work stretch until Friday anyway. People think that they can reasonably get their work done in 4 days without overworking themselves.
What are the results of the pilot program?
The UK pilot program can show us a lot about the feasibility of adopting a 4-day workweek in the U.S.
According to a survey of companies participating in the program, 88% say that it is going “well” for their business at this stage.
Some additional survey results:
- Another 86% of companies surveyed indicated that they would either be likely or extremely likely to implement the 4-day workweek once the pilot program is completed.
- In rating how smooth the transition to the shortened workweek was, 78% of companies surveyed responded with a 4/5 or 5/5.
- One CEO states that their company performed 44% better during the trial period.
Note: All data gathered from the 4 Day Week Global study.
Impact on Productivity
Less Burnout, Improved Mental Health
Transitioning to a 4-day workweek could reduce burnout and help improve employees’ mental health. If people have an extra day off of work, they will have more time to cool down, refresh, and avoid burning themselves out by overworking.
Giving an extra day off of work allows people to take time to relax and try not to worry about work-related stress. A shortened workweek would help people avoid burnout and give them time to address their mental health and relax.
Need to take a mental health day? Check out our article with templates to take that much-needed time off.
Hobbies and Personal Satisfaction
Another important aspect of a shortened workweek is the free time you’ll have. An extra day off provides you with time for your hobbies and favorite activities.
According to a study, creative hobbies and activities outside of work can boost your performance and on the job creativity. What this tells us is that having an extra day to spend on creative hobbies can improve your productivity and performance throughout your work week (even if it’s only four days).
Focus and Time Management
It might be surprising to some, but having a shortened workweek can actually improve focus and time management throughout the week. It makes sense that if you have less time to do work, you will focus more during the time that you do have, and you will manage it more effectively.
There are times when people work slower in order to make their work stretch to Friday. With a shortened workweek, the amount of work more accurately matches the amount of time given to employees.
Increased teamwork
According to one CEO in the UK study, having a 4-day workweek boosted teamwork. Team members in their company worked more collaboratively in order to get everything done by Thursday afternoon.
If a team only works four days a week instead of five, they might be more productive and collaborative during the shortened week.
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