Victor Alston | Los Angeles | Asks: Does a Four Day Work Week Produce Greater Success?

Does a Four-Day Work Week Produce Greater Success?

Any business owner knows the importance of productivity. However, some are unaware that four-day workweeks can lead to greater productivity. The conventional five-day workweek has been a mainstay in the United States for many years. In other parts of the world, however, employees only work 4 days per week. Here are some advantages of a shortened workweek:

Increased Productivity

According to an experiment performed by Microsoft’s Japanese subsidiary, the shortened workweek led to greater productivity. For the entire month of August in 2019 employees worked Monday-Thursday. The study found that productivity increased by 40% when compared to August of 2018. Other findings have suggested that a four-day workweek leads to greater productivity because employees have more time to rest and therefore are able to strategize and think more clearly when working, which leads to greater productivity.

Work/Life Balance

One of the major advantages of a shorter workweek is improved work/life balance. Employees need quality time with their families and time to concentrate on their personal needs. The shortened workweek gives employees the extra time to spend outside of the work environment. This creates a better environment in the home and ensures that employees are less stressed and more capable of handling their work duties.

Better Mental Health

One of the most important aspects of a shortened workweek is the improvement of mental health. Working fewer hours a week while receiving the same pay alleviates stress. Workers also feel more valued when companies take the time to acknowledge and implement policies that improve working conditions.

Lowers Corporate Expenses

Various studies have also shown that the expenses of corporations are lowered as a result of a shortened workweek. Expenses associated with utilities and office supplies decreased as a result of implementation of a four-day workweek. With this understood, working fewer days leads to significant financial benefits for corporations.

Although the four-day workweek seems promising, there are many obstacles that companies face when implementing such a strategy. Indeed, email and text messaging mean that employees are still accessible to employers. This means the mindset of workers and managers must change and boundaries must be respected. In some industries, disengaging from work can be a difficult task even with company support. However, businesses and governments that want to implement a four-day week are likely to experience greater productivity and happier employees.