Possible Benefits Of A Four Day Workweek In Organization

Have you ever felt like the work week from Monday to Friday lasts forever, but the weekend from Friday to Monday is so short? You may feel this way every week. Many people are unmotivated by the length of the workweek, so their rate of productivity is much lower than what they are capable of. I am advocating for a four-day workweek to increase the productivity of companies and give employees an extra day to tend to their personal lives.

The week consists of seven days, and employed people spend five of those seven days preoccupied with their work rather than focusing on more important values, such as family, friends, leisure time, and relaxation. This issue has been debated for several years now since there has been an increasing rate of workers with the typical nine to five, Monday to Friday job.

Not only would a four day work week increase productivity for a business, but a shorter workweek would also give employees numerous benefits by reducing their stress and allowing more time to sleep, run errands, and spend time with their families. In addition, employees would have a more positive attitude after three days of relaxation, and they would also have increased engagement in their work. Overall, because of increased productivity for businesses and reduced stress for employees, a four-day workweek should be established for all businesses. Since most workers love the idea of an extra day off, many companies have experimented or fully switched to a four-day workweek. In addition, companies are in favor of an extra day off because the use of resources would be reduced.

For instance, Microsoft found that implementing a four-day workweek led to a forty percent boost in productivity in 2019. Microsoft also reported, “[Our] Japan subsidiary closed every Friday in August, resulting in higher productivity by almost 40% than in August of 2018.” Not to mention, Microsoft found that the shorter workweek helped preserve electricity and office resources as well. The number of pages printed decreased by 58.7%, while electricity consumption was down by 23.1% compared with August of 2018. Therefore, a four-day workweek is beneficial not only for employees but also for businesses.

Microsoft isn’t the only corporation to test this out. Amy Balliett, CEO of a Seattle-based design and marketing firm, noticed that as the workweek went on, her employees’ energy and productivity faded. Balliet reported the decline of productivity as the end of the week approached: “That would slump to such an extent that the same task on Monday would take double the time by Friday.”

To combat this issue, Balliet made the workweek shorter by allowing her employees to either take off on Monday or Friday, but they would have to work ten-hour shifts instead of eight to make up for the day lost. She also reported, “Our team has more energy throughout the week since they have three days to recharge instead of just two. And with less time to complete tasks, they’re far more efficient and focused and even producing 25% more with the same-size staff.”

The counter-argument to a four-day workweek is that although employees will have any extra day to recharge on the weekends, they will not be as productive towards the end of their shifts everyday because of a long ten-hour shift. However, stated earlier by reports from Amy Balliett with her design and marketing firm, employees are far more efficient and focused and even producing 25% more since they have a shorter week.

Therefore, even though some might think that the ten-hour shifts that come with a four-day workweek will be exhausting for employees and inefficient, companies’ statics refute this argument and say that productivity is actually increased.

To reiterate, a four day work week is not only beneficial for employees but also for companies. The week will not seem endlessly long, and an extra day off every week makes a big difference in everyone’s overall quality of life. Having another day with no work and no commute can free up personal time in a big way. Several studies show several benefits such as reduced stress, increased productivity, and happier more engaged employees. In addition, an extra day off correlates with the Catholic Social Teaching Call to Family, Community, and Participation since workers will have more time to focus on their personal lives and spend time with loved ones.

In conclusion, all businesses should switch to a four day work week to increase their productivity and make a positive change in the lives of their employees by reducing their stress and increasing their leisure time.