A scheme where companies offered employees a four-day work week at the same salary was a success, according to participants. The trial took place between June and December 2022 and involved organisations across the UK from a range of different sectors. And now, a report on the scheme suggests businesses around the country should look into taking the idea up permanently. It found “extensive benefits.”
But, would a four-day work week work for you? Here are some advantages and disadvantages of cutting the working week by 20%, but keeping pay at the same level.
A four-day work week – pros and cons
Pros
- More family time – Employees get more time with their families. For those with children under school age, they get to spend more time with their child and can save on childcare costs. For those with kids in school, they can get the boring life admin jobs out of the way and be more present for the family over the weekend.
- Happier and more productive employees – With an extra day off a week, it improves work-life balance. In turn, this means you have happier employees who are ready to get back to work, felling refreshed. It also increases their loyalty to the business, helping you retain talent.
- Cost cutting – If all employees have the same day off, you can shut the office and reduce energy costs for your business.
- Wellbeing – In the study, sickness levels reduced in the companies that implemented a four-day work week. In addition, 71% of workers said they felt less burnout, with 39% reporting that they were less stressed.
Cons
- Doesn’t work for all businesses – Some businesses need workers in five days a week for their business model. They cannot adapt as easily. Schools, for example, would be an area in which it would become difficult to allow all staff to drop down to four days whilst remaining open for five.
- Longer working days – It might turn out that employers demand 40-hours work in 32. Employees could make up some of this deficit in improved productivity, but they might still have to put in longer working days to allow the day off.
Would a four-day work week be positive for your job? Leave a Comment below
