From five days to four days
Instead of working five days, working just four days? It's a scenario that more and more employees are thinking about. Yet it remains a big step for employers to take. What are the benefits of a four-day workweek?
Between 2015 and 2019, a large-scale experiment took place in Iceland, in which the workweek of 2,500 employees was shortened while retaining their pay. Organizations in various sectors took part in the experiment, including preschools, social service providers and hospitals.
They were participants with a traditional office job, but also employees with non-traditional shift work. The result? Productivity remained the same in many places or actually increased.
The findings from the Icelandic trial are in line with earlier experiments. The New Zealand company Perpetual Guardian permanently switched to a four-day workweek in 2018, after their own test the productivity had seen an increase of 20 percent. At Microsoft Japan alley the productivity even by 40 percent with a four-day workweek. Various companies are experimenting with the four-day workweek and it generally yields happier, more productive employees.
A four-day workweek
The introduction of a four-day workweek offers advantages for both employers and employees. Employees receive flexibility and freedom from their employer with a shorter workweek. They are, after all, free with regard to how they fill their time. In addition, employees also get the space to vary within their workweeks. An employee can work more hours one week and then somewhat fewer hours the next week. That leaves time, for example, to be able to look after the children on Friday or to exercise in between. It also provides the chance for employees to take a course alongside their work or to do a day of volunteer work for an organization that makes an impact on society. Employers thus have people in their employ who sustainably employable to be.
Autonomy
Employers can, in addition to a four-day workweek, offer other options to stimulate their employees' work happiness. Think, for example, of traineeships for entry-level employees in which they get to know the different facets of the field, or offering a development budget. Or give employees a budget that they can spend in their own way. Do they spend it on a course or choose volunteer work? In any case, offer employees the opportunity to take control of their work happiness.
Working from home
The four-day workweek is not the only way to improve employees' job satisfaction. The coronavirus measures were relaxed as of 25 February 2022. This means that employees are allowed to work at the office more often again. According to the FD, many companies continue to focus on hybrid working, where employees are given the space to work from home for a few days. FNV states that 92 percent of employees want more say over the workplace. The research by the union was held among nearly 5,400 employees, working within government sectors, healthcare and the financial sector. Working from home contributes to job satisfaction for many employees.
Sustainable employability
A four-day workweek provides many employees with a good work-life balance. That is important because the right work-life balance contributes to employees being more sustainably employable. People thus have more time for volunteer work, sports, study or other forms of self-development. Absenteeism decreases because employees have more room to better combine work and private life.
