Benefits Of 4-Day Workweek: Shorter Workweek Increase Productivity

Businesses worldwide are grappling with rapidly evolving employee expectations that include provisions for wellness and work-life balance.

Today, more companies are moving away from the traditional 5-day work week to a more productive 4-day work week.

Like remote working, a 4-day work week has its unique set of benefits that several companies in a number of countries are considering flexible work schedule and making a 4-day work week a norm.

Benefits of a Four-Day Work Week

The idea of a 4-day workweek is to achieve the same level of results with fewer unproductive hours at work, and this work arrangement can benefit both the employee and the employer in many ways.

Employees work for fewer days a week improve productivity, employee mental health and well-being and allow more time to pursue other interests or spend time with their loved ones.

Employers can benefit by increasing sales, decreasing employee burnout, and achieving a high level of employee job satisfaction which reduces the turnover rate and overall work productivity.

Here are a few of the best benefits of a 4-day workweek.

1. Increased productivity

Most of us are paid to spend 8 hours every day working. But how many of us actually spend that time doing productive tasks? The modern workplace has a myriad of distractions that can make it difficult to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

Recent research conducted at Stanford University and the Institute for the Study of Labor has found that some employees are productive for as little as four hours for each 8-hour workday.

The most common unproductive activities include:

Scrolling through social media

Reading news online
Chatting about non-work-related subjects with co-workers
Taking coffee and cigarette breaks

Talking on the phone to friends or family
Making food in the office and eating snacks
Texting or using an instant messenger service

Looking for new jobs

What this means is that when employees have that extra day each week to attend to situations in their private lives such as chores, errands, and family time, they are happier.

And happier people are more productive because they don’t have to spend time worrying about what they need to complete outside work and can focus on the task at hand.

It’s a win-win situation for both employers and workers.

2. Reduced workplace costs and overheads

With fewer days in the office, employees can significantly cut the costs of running their business. This includes fewer overheads like lighting, heating, cooling, electricity, and providing food facilities.

Depending on the workplace agreement, you might also be able to cut spending on employee benefits and salary.

It’s good news for employees too, who can save money getting to and from the office and on lower electricity and wifi costs in the home office.

Even if yours is a remote workplace, you can save costs by negotiating adjustments to salaries and benefits.

3. Better health benefits

The statistics are clear: working longer hours is bad for us. A recent study by the World Health Organization has found that if you work at least 55 hours per week, you are 35% more likely to suffer from a stroke and have a 17% higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease when compared to a 35-40 hour work week.

Working too much also increases the likelihood of:

Cardiovascular disease
Poor mental Health

Type-2 Diabetes
Stress
Obesity

Occupational injuries

When you work fewer hours, your risk of developing debilitating health problems is lowered across the board.

4. Lower workplace stress

Research published in the Kansas Journal of Medicine has found that the more stressed you are in the workplace, the lower your productivity.

When you work four days per week, rather than the customary five, you have one more day every week to relax, unwind, and de-stress. And if you choose to have your break three days in a row, you have more opportunities to take mini-vacations and long weekend breaks.

5. Happier employees

Few people would argue that working one less day each week would make us happier. We would have more time to spend with our families, complete our weekly errands, enjoy our hobbies, and spend in the outdoors. We also have more time to catch up with our friends.

Having happier employees is not just about fostering an empathetic workplace. Recent research conducted by the University of Warwick and published in the Journal of Labor Economics has found that happy people are around 12% more productive at work.

It makes sense. Happier people have fewer worries and use their time more effectively, increasing the speed at which they work without losing value.

6. Lower carbon footprint

In 2021, the ‘4 Day Week’ advocacy group released a study showing that a shorter working week resulted in markedly lower greenhouse gas emissions.

In a world affected by climate change, having real-world green credentials is a great way to demonstrate to the public and your employees that you ‘walk the walk and talk the talk’.

The study found that if workplaces in the United Kingdom shifted to a 4-day work week without a salary sacrifice, their carbon footprint would shrink by an amazing 127 million tonnes each year by 2025!

Reducing work hours lowers carbon emissions by:

Reducing energy consumption

There are huge energy savings to be made through lower use of office lighting, heating, air conditioning, and the elevator.

Savings can be made at home too. Research presented in an Autonomy report found that energy consumption on the weekend is markedly less than during the week and if this trend continued for a 4-day weekend, carbon emissions would be 117 thousand tonnes lower per week across the United Kingdom.

Fewer commuters on the road

When you work fewer days every week, you spend less time in your car or riding mass transit. Transport is the main cause of emissions in the United Kingdom and working less would have a marked effect on levels of carbon emissions.

Spending time on ‘low-carbon’ activities

People with more free time are more likely to participate in low-carbon activities such as reading, playing, exercising, relaxing, cooking, spending time with loved ones, and educating themselves.

Essentially, people used their free time to enrich their lives by spending time with their family and friends rather than participating in carbon-heavy activities such as driving or flying.

Healthier living

A study conducted at the University of Adelaide in Australia found that if you want to reduce the carbon emitted by a healthcare system, you need to lower the number of people who need healthcare.

With more time to exercise, cook your own meals, and spend time in nature, people who work a 4-day week are more likely to spend time on healthy living and less likely to need carbon-intense health services and drugs.

7. Creative workplace solutions

When we are confronted with a new challenge, we have the opportunity to address it with innovative and creative solutions.

Moving to a 4-day working week model is revolutionary because it challenges the traditional 8-hour-a-day model that much of the western world has practiced since the nineteenth century.

This means that for some companies to remain profitable while also offering contemporary workplace flexibility, they have to think outside the box. For example, they could:

Offer modified compensation or benefits
Offer project-based incentives rather than deadlines

Allow employees to work flexible hours, including the weekend

8. Improved employee engagement

When employees are engaged with the work they are doing, they are less likely to look for work elsewhere. Research published in the Journal of Industrial Management has shown that employee turnover can be costly due to:

Having to find a replacement (advertising, recruiting, and onboarding)

Lower workplace morale and productivity loss

With a 4-day work week, your employees are less likely to look for employment elsewhere, especially if they cannot find workplaces that are as flexible.

9. An equal workplace

According to the Center for American Progress, lack of adequate childcare keeps millions of American women out of the workforce. Mothers who had trouble finding childcare were significantly less likely to be employed, despite wanting to earn money and advance their careers. There was no such impact on fathers’ employment.

If workers had the flexibility of a 4-day work week, more women would have the ability to enter or return to the workplace. Not only would this lead to more equality in the workplace, but it would be a greater social benefit for the community.

Getting Started with Shorter Workweek: 32-Hour and 40-Hour 4-Day Workweek

Four-day workweeks have many benefits over it’s five-day workweek counterpart. However, before you want to implement a four-day week, here are some things to know when offering a 32-hour workweek or compressed schedule 40-hour workweek.

32-Hour 4-Day Workweek: More Time for Life

The 32-hour 4-day workweek is an evolution of the traditional five-day workweek. In this arrangement, employees work an average of 32 hours a week over four days, giving them an extra day off. The concept of a shorter workweek gained momentum during the pandemic when many companies explored flexible work arrangements to adapt to changing circumstances.

The Pros:

Improved Work-Life Balance: Employees relish the extra day, which allows them to focus on personal interests, hobbies, or simply relax, leading to a better work-life balance.
Employee Satisfaction: Reduced work hours contribute to increased employee satisfaction, as they have more time for themselves and their loved ones.

Mental and Physical Well-being: The 32-hour workweek can have positive effects on employees’ mental and physical health by reducing stress and promoting leisure activities.
Productivity: Some studies suggest that working fewer hours per day might increase productivity. With fewer hours at the office, employees tend to concentrate on deep work.

The Cons:

Economic Considerations: Employees may earn less with a shorter workweek, which could be a drawback for those dependent on a consistent income.
Adjustment Period: It might take time for both employers and employees to adapt to this new work schedule and evaluate its effectiveness.

40-Hour Compressed Schedule 4-Day Workweek: Squeezing Work into Four Days

In contrast, the 40-hour compressed schedule 4-day workweek retains the traditional full-time workload but compresses it into four days. This approach often involves working four 10-hour days rather than five 8-hour days.

The Pros:

Time Efficiency: Employees get an extra day off while maintaining their standard 40-hour workweek. This can improve work-life balance without reducing their income.
Deep Work: Longer workdays can provide uninterrupted blocks of time for more focused and efficient work.

Reduced Commuting: Fewer workdays mean less time spent commuting, resulting in savings on transportation costs and reduced carbon emissions.

The Cons:

Fatigue: 10-hour workdays can be physically and mentally exhausting for some employees. Maintaining energy and focus throughout the day can be a challenge.

Limited Flexibility: The rigid nature of this schedule might not suit all employees or industries. It may be less adaptable to personal needs.

Time To Decide If a Four-Day Workweek Works For You?

Working 4 days a week gives employees to have more time for themselves outside of work, this allows them to feel more refreshed and be more productive when they return to work. Additionally, having more time for family and leisure activities can improve work-life balance and lead to a more fulfilling life overall.

With the advantages of increased work productivity, decrease business expenses, and smaller carbon footprint, the four-day workweek has become increasingly popular amount companies that strive to support their employees’ mental health and work-life balance.

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Benefits of 4-Day Workweek: Shorter Workweek Increase Productivity