Four Day Work Week
With school commencing last month across Australia, most of us are back at the nine till five, five days per week grind. It doesn't take long forget about our last holiday and make plans for the next one. I often hear friends and old colleagues say "weekends are never long enough" or "wouldn't it be great to have a three-day weekend all the time." Well, a four-day work week is slowly becoming a reality for some.
The Four-Day Week Global campaign announced a new international pilot program where companies are invited to give their workers a four-day week with no loss of pay for six months, to see if their business reaps the benefits of increased productivity from happier and healthier employees. The trials will begin in the UK in June, with Australian and New Zealand trials kicking off in August. Victorian unions are looking at how Iceland secured a shorter workweek. Whilst in the US, there is a bill in Congress for a shorter week as well. So why should organisations and governments adopt the four-day work week model?
We're working too much
Prior to the pandemic, the average Australian full-time employee worked around 42 hours per week. That’s 4.5 hours over the standard legal maximum, and is usually unpaid. Work hour limits need to change for better mental health and gender equality. Meanwhile, work is getting more intense. Surveys found that self-assessment of how hard we work per hour has increased significantly in the last 30 years. And all this work is taking a physical toll. The World Health Organisation and the International Labour Organisation found that in 2016 a 30% increase in deaths each year from stroke and heart disease associated with long working hours since 2000. Shortening the work week could give exhausted workers a much needed rest.
Well rested employees are more productive
Studies show organisations reap the benefit too. Stanford University researchers found overwork “leads to decreased total output” and that workers average productivity “decreases to the extent the additional hours they are working provide no benefit (and, in fact, are detrimental)”. UK researchers surveyed 250 businesses operating a four-day work week on full pay, and found they made annual savings of $175 billion. Almost two-thirds of businesses reported an increase in staff productivity and an improvement in the quality of work. Microsoft Japan’s four-day trial saw productivity jump 40%. New Zealand based company Perpetual Guardian’s trial saw “no drop in the total amount of work done”. Closer to home, Calibre switched to a four-day work week in June 2021, without reducing salaries and leave entitlements, which resulted in a better work-life balance, no productivity loss, richer company culture, and produced higher quality of work. Other companies report other benefits including environmental and cost saving benefits, fewer employee absences, and better recruitment and retention.
As the pandemic has changed the way we work and live, the desire to have a more meaningful life is on the increase, and companies around the world are realising the benefits. Some may argue that the four-day work week may not work for all industries, but there are ways around it. What if people could work a shorter day? Having a few extra hours a day can mean picking up the kids from school, being with the family, going for a walk, cooking a decent meal, or kicking up our feet and enjoying a good book. People would feel more rested to put in quality work the next day. Trying to fit your life in between work and the two day weekend is exhausting! At Blackmill, we work 32 hour weeks -- and one can choose to work four regular days or five shorter days. This approach aligns with our values and beliefs. An effort to put employees first should co-exist with a goal to be profitable, and should be the aim for the future of work, and living happier and healthier lives.