Four Day Week
A four-day working week means employees spend four days in the office and then have three days off.
Instead of five days, they’re only working for 39 hours per week—that’s seven hours less than someone who works a traditional five day schedule.
The four day week is a hot topic right now, but what’s it really like to work a compressed week, How do you implement a four day week? The key benefits of a four day working week? key challenges of a four day working week? What does the future hold for the concept of the four day working week?
The four day week is a hot topic right now, but what’s it really like to work a compressed week?
What is a four day week?
A four-day working week means employees spend four days in the office and then have three days off. Instead of five days, they’re only working for 39 hours per week—that’s seven hours less than someone who works a traditional five day schedule.
Many people assume that this has to mean less pay or less time off, but our research shows that’s not always the case.
In fact, many companies that have adopted this model actually provides better benefits and more flexibility than before they switched (more on this later).
The benefits of using a four day workweek schedule are numerous: employees can be happier and more productive because they have more free time to pursue other interests.
Suggested by the Guardian news paper More than 3,300 workers at 70 UK companies, have start working a four-day week from Monday with no loss of pay in the world’s biggest trial of the new working pattern.
Leaders can create better company culture by knowing employees will be away from their desks instead of working late hours; companies save money by reducing office space needs.
Overall output increases when there aren’t any distractions caused by constant emails, phone calls or meetings during working hours each day.
Mental health improves due to having fewer responsibilities at work without having less money coming into your bank account each month!
Now that we’ve established some benefits let’s talk about some challenges you should consider before making this big changeover:
There might be resistance from co-workers who don’t want anything new happening around them since they feel comfortable with how things currently operate within their departments (and rightfully so!)
Also keep in mind how much autonomy workers would lose if management wanted everyone on one shift rather than two separate shifts .
We mentioned above when talking about what kind of impact could happen if something unexpected happens during business hours such as emergencies where someone might need help immediately instead having someone come over
How do you implement a four day week?
The most important thing is to create a culture of flexibility. That means:
Flexible working hours. Employees should be able to choose their own start and finish times, if they meet the agreed upon goals for each week.
Flexible working locations. Employees should have freedom to work from home, or from different offices in the city if needed, depending on the task at hand or their personal circumstances (e.g., parents with young children).
What are the key benefits?
spend more time with family and friends.
Pursue other interests, such as hobbies or sports.
Time to work out – whether that’s in the gym or at home by yourself.
Time to cook healthy meals (or even grab some takeout) and get a good night’s sleep. This can help you avoid stress-related illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure – all of which are linked with working long hours. Other benefits: * You’ll have more time for chores around the house (e.g., washing up). * Or you could use this extra spare time relaxing – reading a book or watching TV/films instead of spending all evening trawling social media sites!
What are the key challenges of a four day working week?
While there are many benefits to working a four day week, it can be difficult for some people to adjust. Many people may find that it takes time to get used to the new routine and in order to stay focused on work when they’re at home.
What does the future hold?
The four day working week is a well-intentioned concept, but it doesn’t go far enough in addressing the problems we face. The four day workweek is just one aspect of a flexible working environment that can help us achieve better work-life balance and make sure we are all working in a way that is sustainable.
Can we go even further?
Four day weeks are happening now, but we still have questions about how we can make them even better.
Flexibility means that you can work from home on Fridays, but you may also need to go into the office because of a client meeting.
You get to decide when you start your day and when you take your lunch break.
And yes, flexibility means that if all four days are busy with meetings and deadlines, then there are only three days of work for everyone in the office instead of five.
But what does flexibility look like when it comes to job security?
The truth is that four day weeks aren’t possible without a certain level of trust between employees and management—trust in each other’s ability to get their work done without having every minute accounted for by their manager or HR department.
No one will abuse their flexible schedule (which would defeat its purpose); and most importantly, trust between employees themselves: trusting that someone isn’t taking advantage of being able to leave early on Friday just because they want an extra two hours at home with their kids over being able to come in early Monday morning so they don’t miss any time with family over the weekend.
Conclusion
The four day working week is not a new concept. We’ve seen it in practice for decades and even centuries, but it’s becoming increasingly popular today as employees look for ways to balance their work and personal lives.
While there are still challenges to overcome before we can all enjoy an extra day off every week, this trend is showing no signs of stopping anytime soon!
How Wurkplace can help
Here at Wurkplace, we have experienced and skilled consultants who are able to provide you with specific recruitment advice along with supplying an array of template documents, so half the work is done for you!
If you need support or guidance, talk to one of our experts today – You can use our easy online contact form, or give us a call on: 0330 400 5490.