The basic 9-5 mentality is something that most humans just deal with. Working a five day week for two days off at a weekend is second-nature to most, looking forward to our holiday weeks every year. But who’s to say this couldn’t change? With Jaguar implementing a three day week with some of their employees, and the rise of a four day week with multiple other companies, we’re taking a look at the benefits this could provide for your company.
There is two ways a four-day working week could play out:
1. Employees working at 32 hour week, and counting on their extra productivity
2. Employees working longer hours over four days to adhere to the current 40-hour working week
Both of these have their own benefits and negatives, depending on the type of work and the employee’s priorities.
Work-Life Balance
Finding the perfect work-life balance is the quest of many people working 9-5 hours. Having an extra day off a week can really help in this battle! It also helps and parents/guardians with balancing childcare.
Increased Productivity
There’s been a lot of research to suggest that working 4 days instead of the usual 5 will increase workers productivity ten-fold. By giving your employees an extra day off to spend with their family or benefit from in other ways it means that they are more likely to work harder on their days in the office. The extra day off has also been proven to help with your employee’s mental health!
Employee Loyalty
As a result of the changing economy, the need for a flexible workplace is much greater now. There is a new generation of employees who strive for this flexibility, and therefore will be much more loyal to any employers that will give them this.
All in all, the need for a four day work week is completely dependant on the type of business you are running. For the companies that have customer demand 24/7 and companies that pay their employees hourly have a much lesser need for the flexibility than others. All in all, if your company is one that could benefit from one day less a week in the office, it’s worth thinking about. You could be attracting some of the top talent for your firm!
Castle Hill House