This is a reminder that I am not a social scientist, just an accountant and economist who sees through those glasses. As we will find, there is much overlap between the different disciplines.
Although employees consider the shortened workweek a success, the reality is more complicated.
To combat burnout, boost morning focus, and increase overlap among its global workforces, a New York-based company switched to a four-day workweek a few years ago, changing its schedule to four 10-hour days. The company didn't intend to sacrifice productivity, so it increased the workload to take Fridays off without logging 12-plus hours.
The concept of a four-day workweek is gaining popularity, with multiple countries and companies implementing trials with flashy announcements.
WIRED interviewed 15 employees from six tech companies that have made the switch*:
Overall, the response was positive,
Some saw it as both a blessing and a curse,
Others viewed it as an absolute relief.
* It should be noted that the definition of a four-day workweek can differ between companies; some stick to a 40-hour week, while others use a 32-hour week, but all require the same amount of work to be completed.
Many white-collar workers log on during their purported day off or squeeze in more labor each hour, so they have to do more faster. The arrangement is a boon for businesses, as it helps them increase employee goodwill and loyalty without raising overall pay or decreasing workload. Many employees’ express gratitude for the arrangement.
Is the shortened work week going mainstream for other reasons? After the reduction from six days a week to five in the early 20th century was won, the Fair Labor Standards Act established a 40-hour workweek as a law. Since then, according to the nonprofit Economic Policy Institute.
There has been a threefold increase in productivity.
Pay has only risen about half as much,
The workweek has mainly remained the same.
That is an economic issue. Productivity has not kept up with salary, so a workweek reduction may be a concession.
The effort to reduce work time is building steam. Many countries and industries consider shrinking the workweek to 32 hours without sacrificing pay. A large study found that a shorter workweek improved well-being, stress, and burnout without sacrificing productivity.
The initial wave of executives who adopted the four-day workweek were not attempting to revolutionize capitalism. Instead, their motivation stemmed from a pressing need to make significant changes to avoid potential failure within a short timeframe.
This condensed work schedule was seen as a solution to various issues:
Retaining employees with families
Addressing burnout throughout the company hierarchy.
More thoughtful work practices would result in less physical and mental strain on employees.
The big movement after COVID-19 has worsened that scenario around the world. Indeed, reported a year after that half of workers felt burned out, and two-thirds said burnout had increased during the epidemic.
What is the 100/80/100 model?
Implementing a four-day workweek is not solely for achieving work-life balance. It is a practical and effective business strategy that can enhance productivity and profitability by granting employees more time off.
In the 100/80/100 model, employees maintain 100% productivity while working only 80% of their usual hours with full pay.
Reducing the number and length of meetings is another crucial aspect managers emphasize. Many employees said certain meetings could be replaced with emails.
Compressing work into a shorter time frame becomes more intense, which can be both good and bad. A New Zealand company that implemented a four-day workweek back in 2018 noticed employees taking shorter breaks and skipping post-tea discussions to get back to work promptly. Some employees found this pace "exhilarating," while others felt overwhelmed and experienced heightened stress levels.
Watch what you wish for.
When offered, 94 percent of employees and 91 percent of managers supported the four-day week. Then, 40 percent reported feeling more stressed after the company transition.
Agile software developers have long complained that meetings got in the way of focused work time. One Bolt engineer said, "I don't like to be interrupted unless my house is on fire."
The human interaction that fills the time spaces is sacrificed when the work is compressed into four days. There was no time for banter.
There are some people at work whose primary motivation is simply to get everything done and go home.
Many other people are happiest when they have interactions like me or, for instance, single parents whose primary source of adult socialization is work.
Their colleagues need to have those coffees and water cooler conversations.
Many workers viewed the four-day week as a gift that motivated them to plan their day off, work harder, and accept trade-offs like increased monitoring.
Employers are responsible for implementing a four-day week until a shorter workweek becomes the new law.
The extra day off has had a profound impact on many lives.
Ability to care for aging relatives.
Some found that they could improve their physical health through increased exercise.
Some took advantage of the additional day to indulge in travel and hobbies,
Others used it for everyday tasks such as errands and doctor appointments, resulting in less time for personal leave from work.
Increase in mental well-being by allowing more time to decompress from work-related stress and anxiety.
Working parents also appreciated spending more quality time with their children.
Three things to do today:
Read last week's article, etc. Article link here.
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Get ready for part three conclusion.