The 4-day work week trial program was established by 4 Day Week Global, and they coordinated in collaboration with researchers from Cambridge University and Boston College, as well as local researchers in each region. The most popular form of reduced working hours, the 4-day, 32-hour workweek, has gained momentum in recent years. Given this growth in interest, 4 Day Week Global started supporting companies and non-profits who wanted to experiment with working a 4-day, 32-hour week without taking a pay cut. In 2022, their efforts resulted in the world's first coordinated trial and large-scale independent study of the effects of a 4-day week.
A Grand Success Trial?
According to supporters of this innovative schedule, there are multiple benefits to the four-day week - for the organization, the employees, and the environment. A 4 Day Week Global study examined companies and employees that piloted a four-day workweek with no decrease in pay to evaluate these claims. Performance, productivity, and overall experience are reported to be highly satisfactory by the companies. Employees express similar sentiments.
After the trial, employees valued their current job more after the companies reorganized their work; perhaps the bottom line for success is how productive the companies became without speeding up. Many respondents suggested that they would need higher pay to give up the 4 day work week, and some said that no money would make them give up the 4 day work week. There is no reason employers should not adopt a 4 day work week, as the data shows the work productivity and the employees' emotions have significantly improved and aid the business to proceed further.
When Will The 4 Day Work Week Begin?
Although the trial results show a significant improvement in productivity and employees' emotions, businesses still have many concerns, especially the massive switch from a 5 day to 4 day work week, which may cause a loss of business at the beginning. Therefore, companies may only want to make big switches if it is mandatory. However, some ways could help businesses to adopt a 5 day to 4 day work week slowly and minimize the loss from the transformation.
4 Day Work Week Every Fortnight
It is difficult for businesses to switch to a 4 day work week right away; companies would need time to adapt and get used to the new changes. Therefore, conducting a 4 day work week every fortnight enables businesses to have time to evaluate the cost of changes and allows them to compare the difference between a 5 day work week and a 4 day work week. If the result is positive, businesses would be more convinced to switch to a 4 day work week.
Change the Fifth Day to WFH
With the advancement in video conferencing equipment technologies, many opening job positions allow employees remote work. If the business needs help transforming to a 4 day work week, they can try the 5 work day that allows the employees to WFH. Employees can use high-quality webcams, such as the EMEET Meeting Capsule or the EMEET SmartCam C960 WebCam, to conduct online Meetings. This will not affect the business operation but also allow the employees to work in a relaxed environment.
Work Shifts
In the customer service industry, most businesses may not see the 4 day work week as a good idea, as this industry requires attendants 24/7 to aid their customers. However, work shift is not something new, and many industries are now providing employees with work shifts. Employees can choose the date to be working and choose the days to rest. This provides more flexibility for the employees and would not affect the business.
Conclusion
To summarise, the suggested methods above may help businesses to switch to a 4 day work week more easily without too much loss. Also, the trial has shown us that the 4 day work week actually works. Not only didn't it affect business or work productivity, but it also created more healthy emotions and personal lives for the employees. It is a matter of time before the 4 day work week becomes a workstyle across the globe.
