Four-day workweek

A four-day workweek, or a compressed work schedule,[1] is an arrangement where a workplace or school has its employees or students work or attend school over the course of four days per week rather than the more customary five.[2] This arrangement can be a part of flexible working hours, and is sometimes used to cut costs,

Part of a series on
Organized labor
Labor movement
Labor rights
Trade unions
Strike action
Labor parties
Academic disciplines

In the United States, there are examples of the so-called "4/10 work week", where employees work 40 hours across four days, i.e. a "four-ten" week.[3] However, a four-day week can also be a fixed work schedule.[1]

Attempts to introduce a four-day week with reduced weekly hours have had limited success,[4] but have been renewed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Background

The five-day workweek is a cultural norm, the result of early 1900s union advocacy to reduce the six-day workweek.[5]

Rationale

The push towards implementing the four-day week has remained loosely relevant within the contemporary workplace due to the various possible benefits it may yield. Although mostly untested, these benefits mainly lie within increased cost-cutting, productivity, and work-life balance. The theory behind this is that by having employees or students work or attend school one less day a week, then they will have additional time to pursue hobbies, spend time with family, get more sleep and increase overall morale. There are several ways the four-day week can take shape. Taking Fridays off, half days, and different days off for different employees are all options that are considered when starting the four-day week. Consequently, these employees or students will be more productive and refreshed for working or learning, which will make up for the lost day where they would otherwise be overworked and/or overtired. In addition, by having the workplace or school open one less day a week, the operating costs and environmental costs will decrease for businesses and society alike.

Advocacy

Proponents of a four-day workweek include labor activists and environmentalists, who contend that the compressed workweek would help workers and reduce pollution emissions. Opponents believe that the compressed workweek would lead to less work overall and disadvantage firms unavailable for their customers.[6]

A movement for a four-day workweek found some momentum in the 1970s but ultimately faded.

An increase in remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in the desire for flexible work arrangements.[5][7]

Several countries proposed and launched four-day workweek trials during the COVID-19 pandemic. Spain announced a voluntary, nationwide, three-year trial of a 32-hour workweek. Prime Ministers Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, Sanna Marin of Finland, and Japan's annual economic policy guidelines each proposed a four-day workweek as a consideration.[5][8][9]

In 2022, Belgium created a draft reform package approved by the country's federal government to allow employees the ability to request a four-day work week.[10]

Major trial results
  • Perpetual Guardian, a New Zealand estate planning firm, adopted a four-day workweek in 2018 following a successful trial in which productivity increased 20%, staff satisfaction increased, and staff stress levels decreased. The trial received worldwide attention.[6]
  • Microsoft Japan's 2019 three-day weekend trial led to 40% productivity gains and other increased efficiencies, such as 23% electricity savings.[6]
  • Two trials in Iceland between 2015 and 2019 in which working hours were reduced to 35 hours a week without pay reduction for 2,500 workers resulted in "dramatically increased" well-being, no decline of productivity or service, and improved work-life balance and stress ratings from employees, according to British think tank Autonomy and the Icelandic Association for Sustainable Democracy.[11] While framed as a "four-day week", the trial was for reduced working hours, not necessarily compressed within four days. The vast majority of the workplaces removed up to three hours from the week, not eight, as would be needed in a four-day week. Agreements to reduce work hours following the trial have led to a reduction of an hour or less.[12]

Utah state government

In 2008, employees of the Utah state government all began working ten-hour days from Monday to Thursday.[2][13] By closing state government offices on Fridays, the state expected to save on operating costs such as electricity, heat, air conditioning, and gasoline for state-owned vehicles.[13] Utah ended this practice however, in 2011, with the Utah Legislature overriding Governor Gary Herbert's veto of five-day work week legislation.[14]

Many local governments have had alternative schedules for many years.[15][16][17]

K-12 public schools in the United States

Public schools in Hawaii closed on 17 Fridays in 2010.[18] Over 100 school districts in rural areas in the United States have changed the school week to a four-day week; most also extended each school day by an hour or more.[19][20] The changes were often made in order to save money on transportation, heating, and substitute teachers.[19]

Higher education in the United States

In January of 2022, D'Youville College announced a transition to a 4 day, 32-hour work week for all staff and administration without any change to employees pay or benefits.[21] The employees were previously working 37.5 hours per week.[21] This initiative was a follow-up to a pilot program in 2020 which received positive feedback from employees.[22] The program is described as a 6 month trial.[23]

The Gambia civil service

In The Gambia, a four-day work week was introduced for public officials by president Yahya Jammeh, effective February 1, 2013. Working hours were limited to Monday through Thursday, 08:00 to 18:00, with Friday designated as a day of rest to allow residents more time for prayer and agriculture. This regulation was abolished in early 2017 by his successor, president Adama Barrow, who decreed a half-day of work on Fridays.[24]

Perpetual Guardian trial in New Zealand

In New Zealand, trust company Perpetual Guardian announced in February 2018 that it would begin trialing a four-day work week in March 2018.[25] The six-week trial, initiated by founder Andrew Barnes, saw the company's 240-plus staff nominating a day off each week whilst still receiving full pay.[26] The trial, held in March and April 2018, attracted international media attention.[27][28][29][30][31] In late March 2018, Barnes noted that the trial was going well with staff reporting more time for their families, hobbies, completing their to-do lists and doing home maintenance.[32][33][34][35]

The trial, which was tracked and assessed by the University of Auckland Business School and Auckland University of Technology,[36][37][38] was described as a success[39] and "a total win-win".[40][41] Perpetual Guardian then extended the four-day work week scheme permanently.[42][43] The trial saw increased productivity,[44] customer engagement levels,[45] and staff engagement;[46] reduced staff stress levels;[47] and improved work–life balance.[48][49][50] The company's revenue remained stable while costs went down, due to less power being used throughout the period.

The trial sparked publicity both in New Zealand[36][51][52][53] and internationally.[54][55][56][57][58][59] New Zealand workplace relations minister Iain Lees-Galloway said the trial was "fascinating".[60]

The initiative was held up by Barnes as a way of helping to close the gender pay gap and increase diversity in the workforce.[61][62] Barnes also held the scheme up as a potential blueprint for the workplace of the future, ensuring companies were attractive to millennials[63] and easing Auckland's traffic congestion.[64]

However, while four-day work weeks were deemed a success for most, not everyone involved within the Perpetual Guardian trial was able to adapt, with some reporting feeling increased pressure to complete work within a shorter time frame, particularly around deadlines.[65]

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern suggested a four-day workweek as a means to support work-life balance and tourism following the COVID-19 pandemic.[66]

United Kingdom, c. 2018–2019

In the United Kingdom, late 2018 and early 2019 saw an increased interest in organisations switching to a four-day work week, including call centre Simply Business,[67] Aizle restaurant in Edinburgh and the productivity firm Think Productive.[68] Research foundation the Wellcome Trust was reported in early 2019 to be considering moving all its employees to a four-day week but ultimately decided against the move after a three-month study.[69] The UK Labour Party, however, has adopted the four day week as official party policy and pledged to shift the country to it (without loss of pay) by 2029, if they won the December 2019 general election.[70][71]

Since the Labour Party lost the 2019 United Kingdom general election, many have worried that the 4 day work week would be abandoned as Labour policy, but former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn assured many, that the loss is merely a set-back and not a vote against the policy.[72]

Plymouth based Portcullis Legals also gained significant media exposure in 2019 following their conversion to the four-day working week whilst increasing pay following a 5-month trial and colleague consultation. Portcullis Legals highlighted improvement with productivity and stress levels amongst staff, whilst providing higher levels of satisfaction amongst its clients.[73]

Huddersfield based precision component supplier Accu also gained significant exposure in 2022 by converting to a four-day work week following a small-scale trial in 2019.[74]

Japan

Microsoft Japan conducted a trial four-day work week in summer 2019, granting workers paid leave on Fridays. At the same time it cut the length of most meetings from a full hour to half an hour, and capped attendance at five employees. For the duration of the trial, the company reported a 23% reduction in electricity costs.[75] Sales per employee increased 40 percent during the last year's same period.[76]

The Japanese government's 2021 annual economic policy guidelines recommended that companies allow their workers to opt for a four day work week, as part of an initiative aimed at improving work-life balance in the country.[77]

Active trials

Major active trials include Unilever's New Zealand office (2020–2021).[6]

An International trial including companies in the UK, US, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand was launched by 4 Day Week Global in January 2022. Employees of participating companies will work one less day a week with no reduction in pay.[78]

Impact

According to a 2021 study, which examined four-day school weeks in Oregon, the switch to four-day school weeks led to lower test scores in reading and math.[79]

See also

References
  1. Fact Sheet: Compressed Work Schedules, from United States Office of Personnel Management
  2. Facer, Rex L.; Wadsworth, Lori L. (May 2010). "Four-day work weeks: Current research and practice". Connecticut Law Review. 42 (4): 1031–1046.
  3. Hyatt, Edward; Coslor, Erica (March 5, 2018). "Compressed lives: how 'flexible' are employer-imposed compressed work schedules?". Personnel Review. 47 (2): 278–293. doi:10.1108/PR-08-2016-0189. hdl:11343/191878.
  4. "Home Page". Shorterworkweek.com. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  5. Westfall, Sammy (June 25, 2021). "Japan proposes four-day workweek as idea gains purchase amid pandemic". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  6. Xu Elegant, Naomi (December 1, 2020). "Unilever is experimenting with a 4-day work week". Fortune. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  7. Casalicchio, Emilio (June 21, 2021). "UK should seize pandemic 'opportunity' to work more flexibly, says review chief". Politico. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  8. "Jacinda Ardern flags four-day working week as way to rebuild New Zealand after Covid-19". The Guardian. May 20, 2020. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  9. Kelly, Jack (January 8, 2020). "Finland Prime Minister's Aspirational Goal Of A Six-Hour, Four-Day Workweek: Will It Ever Happen?". Forbes. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  10. Bateman, Tom (February 15, 2022). "Belgium approves 4-day week and right to disconnect". euronews. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  11. Pohjanpalo, Kati (July 6, 2021). "Iceland Cuts Working Hours With No Productivity Loss, Same Pay". Bloomberg.com.
  12. Veal, Anthony (July 13, 2021). "Follow Up: Was Iceland's 'Four-Day Week' Was as Successful as Advertised?". Interesting Engineering. The Conversation. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  13. "Utah is going to a 4-day workweek". NBC News. Associated Press. July 3, 2008.
  14. Heather Kerrigan, Utah's Demise of the Four-Day Workweek, Governing (July 13, 2011).
  15. Wadsworth, Lori L.; Facer, Rex L.; Arbon, Chyleen A. (September 1, 2010). "Alternative Work Schedules in Local Government: Cui Bono?". Review of Public Personnel Administration. 30 (3): 322–340. doi:10.1177/0734371X10368223. S2CID 154224973.
  16. Facer, Rex L.; Wadsworth, Lori (June 2008). "Alternative Work Schedules and Work–Family Balance: A Research Note". Review of Public Personnel Administration. 28 (2): 166–177. doi:10.1177/0734371X08315138. S2CID 154667925.
  17. Facer, Rex L.; Wadsworth, Lori L.; Arbon, Chyleen (2009). "Cities Leading the Way: The Use of Alternative Work Schedules by Cities". The municipal year book 2009. pp. 28–33. ISBN 978-0-87326-571-3. OCLC 874180062.
  18. Herring, Chris (March 8, 2010). "Schools' New Math: The Four-Day Week". The Wall Street Journal.
  19. Toppo, Greg (August 20, 2002). "In rural areas, the four-day school week is growing in popularity". The Christian Science Monitor. Associated Press.
  20. "Four-Day School Weeks". National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved February 3, 2011.
  21. Kaplan, Juliana (January 11, 2022). "A college in upstate New York is shortening the work week to 32 hours, but pay and benefits are staying the same". Business Insider. Retrieved January 21, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. Redden, Elizabeth (January 10, 2021). "A 4-Day Workweek". Inside HigherEd. Retrieved January 21, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. Schwartz, Natalie (January 7, 2022). "Inside one college's move to a 4-day workweek". Higher Ed Dive. Retrieved January 21, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. "Gambia's President Barrow scraps Jammeh's four-day week". BBC News. February 3, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
  25. "Kiwi firm Perpetual Guardian to test four-day week with workers on full pay". NZ Herald.
  26. "New Zealand trust company trials three-day weekends for employees". 9Finance Australia.
  27. "Work four days, get paid for five: New Zealand company's new shorter week". The Guardian.
  28. "New Zealand company to trial four-day work week". The Straits Times.
  29. "Στη Νέα Ζηλανδία μία εταιρεία θα πληρώνει τους υπαλλήλους της για πέντε μέρες εργασίας ενώ θα δουλεύουν τέσσερις". HuffPost Greece.
  30. "Quattro giorni di lavoro e cinque di paga: la sperimentazione di un'azienda neozelandese". Vanity Fair Italy.
  31. "Perpetual Guardian to test four-day week". Stuff.co.nz.
  32. "'Heck it was productive': New Zealand company trials four-day work week .... but will it stick?". South China Morning Post. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  33. "Perpetual Guardian's four-day working week trial going well". Stuff. March 31, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  34. "Workers embrace four-day week at Perpetual Guardian - NZ Herald". NZ Herald. March 29, 2018.
  35. Peters, Lucia. "A Company Is Testing Out Four-Day Work Weeks — And It's Having MASSIVE Success". Bustle. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  36. "Kiwi company trials four-day working week for more 'energised, engaged workforce'". TVNZ. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  37. "Kiwi company trials four-day working week for more 'energised, engaged workforce'". TVNZ. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  38. "Working four-day weeks for five days' pay? Research shows it pays off". Stuff. July 24, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  39. Yeung, Jessie. "A New Zealand company tried a four-day work week. It was a 'resounding success'". CNNMoney. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  40. "Seven Sharp". Facebook.com. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  41. "Perpetual Guardian founder Andrew Barnes hails four-day week trial". Newshub. July 18, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  42. "Perpetual Guardian makes four-day week permanent". Stuff. October 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  43. "Why this company switched to a four-day work week". CNBC. August 16, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  44. "Kiwi business hails four-day work week trial". RadioLIVE. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  45. "Perpetual Guardian founder Andrew Barnes hails four-day week trial". Newshub. July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  46. "Four-day working week trial at Perpetual Guardian a success, boss wants to make it permanent". NZ Herald. July 21, 2018. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  47. Lea, Brittany De (July 19, 2018). "New Zealand company tested four-day work week, results may surprise you". Fox Business. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  48. "Perpetual Guardian improves work-life balance using four-day week". Employeebenefits.co.uk. July 20, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  49. Roy, Eleanor Ainge (July 18, 2018). "Work less, get more: New Zealand firm's four-day week an 'unmitigated success'". the Guardian. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  50. "A 4-Day Workweek? A Test Run Shows a Surprising Result". Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  51. Venuto, Damien. "Four-day working week may become permanent for Kiwi company". Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  52. "Four-day working week trial at Perpetual Guardian a success, boss wants to make it permanent". NZ Herald. July 21, 2018. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  53. "Four-day week. Yes we can!". Radio New Zealand. July 18, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  54. "A 4-Day Workweek? A Test Run Shows a Surprising Result". The New York Times. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  55. "'We've seen a massive increase in engagement'". NewsComAu. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  56. Would a four-day working week boost productivity?, July 18, 2018, retrieved July 24, 2018
  57. "Company Tests 4-Day Work Week, Employees Return Energised After Long Weekend - WORLD OF BUZZ". Worldofbuzz.com. July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  58. (www.dw.com), Deutsche Welle. "New Zealand company switches to four-day working week | DW | July 18, 2018". DW.COM. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  59. "Four-Day Workweeks Create More Productive Employees, New Study Shows". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  60. "Four-day work week trial 'very interesting' - Workplace Relations Minister Iain Lees-Galloway". Newshub. July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  61. "Four-day working week trial a bonus for working mums". Stuff. July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  62. "Kate Hawkesby: Why women should negotiate their pay based on productivity". NZ Herald. July 29, 2018.
  63. "Millennials are rejecting the 9-5 workday". Stuff. July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  64. "Four-day week could help to ease Auckland's traffic woes". NZ Herald. July 18, 2018.
  65. "'Would rather come to work': Four-day working week trial a success, but didn't work for everyone". The Sydney Morning Herald. July 17, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  66. Roy, Eleanor Ainge (May 20, 2020). "Jacinda Ardern flags four-day working week as way to rebuild New Zealand after Covid-19". The Guardian. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  67. "'UK call centre to trial four-day week for hundreds of staff'". The Guardian. May 3, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  68. "'The four-day week: who's making it work?'". ITV News. April 17, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  69. "'Wellcome Trust drops plans to trial four day working week'". The Guardian. April 12, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  70. "'I'm taking Friday's off permanently'". International Politics and Society. March 18, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2019.
  71. "'General election 2019: What is Labour's four-day working week plan?'". BBC News. November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  72. "4 day work week- Labour promises it, what on Earth?". Politic-ed. September 23, 2019.
  73. "'Workers given four day week at law firm'". Metro Online. May 24, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  74. "'Director writes four-day week into staff contracts'". The Times Online. March 8, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  75. 4-Day Workweek Boosted Workers' Productivity By 40%, Microsoft Japan Says
  76. Porter, Jon (November 5, 2019). "Microsoft Japan's four-day working week trial led to productivity improvements". The Verge. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  77. Ryall, Julian (June 22, 2021). "Japan proposes four-day working week to improve work-life balance". Deutsche Welle.
  78. Elvin, Sian (January 17, 2022). "Four-day working week pilot launched in UK". Metro. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  79. Thompson, Paul N. (January 2021). "Is four less than five? Effects of four-day school weeks on student achievement in Oregon". Journal of Public Economics. 193: 104308. doi:10.1016/j.jpubeco.2020.104308. S2CID 229397116.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.