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Could a Four-Day Workweek Be On the Horizon?

Many countries around the world have started to reconsider our typical five-day working week. While it may seem like spending more hours in the office would increase efficiency and productivity, this is far from the truth. If your workforce isn’t reaching its targets and struggles with focus over the week, then it may be time to think about a four-day workweek. Let’s discover some of the benefits of a shorter week and the ways in which it could improve your business operations in the future.

A Four-Day Workweek with the Same Pay

The main concept surrounding a four-day workweek is offering your employees the same five-day pay rates for working one day less. The non-profit organization 4 Day Week Global believes the model 100-80-100 is usable and attainable by almost any company. It suggests that employees will get 100% of their work completed in 80% of the time, as the workforce works at a 100% productivity rate during this shortened four-day workweek.

Statistics to Support the Four-Day Workweek

Many companies think the idea of a four-day workweek sounds ambitious, but it is already working in many countries around the world. Businesses in the UK, USA, Canada, South Africa, and Europe have participated in this program so far. The results were generally very positive, showing that a four-day workweek can be beneficial for both business owners and the general workforce.

During the pilot scheme in the UK, 70 different companies participated across various industries. With 3,300 workers participating, over 95% of the participants suggested it was a positive movement. 86% of participants in the scheme shared that they are considering making this a permanent change to their business operations. The following improvements were noticed:

  • 15% noted significant productivity increases
  • 34% noticed slight improvements to their productivity
  • 46% of companies maintained productivity

How Can a Four-Day Workweek Be As Effective?

There are many theories behind why productivity and efficiency can still be maintained even when working significantly less hours. The workplace theater theory suggests that many people are just trying to look busy. When in fact a lot of their time at work could be reduced. A four-day week can help to reduce burnout in your workforce, ensuring results are more consistent. Microsoft Japan noted a 40% increase in productivity when they tried out this idea. This just goes to show it can work for companies of all shapes and sizes.

Remote Work and the Four-Day Workweek

Many of the benefits of remote work are similar to those of the four-day workweek. It’s become another incredibly popular way of working. Showing that a non-traditional work setup can be just as effective as the one we’ve all used for decades. The four-day workweek might be the next shift we see within workforce management. However, it requires executives and management to get onboard with this idea for it to be effective.

No matter what type of working model you follow, our team is here to support you with our IT services. Contact us today for more information about how we can help you to transition to a four-day workweek and enjoy improved productivity within your business.

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