Why should we have a shorter workweek? Moreover, who doesn’t want more time for themselves?
A four-day workweek seems like a wonderful idea, but it’s not for everybody . These are the advantages and disadvantages you would like to believe before switching to a four-day workweek.
Is a 4 day work week better?
The standard full-time workweek for Americans is eight hours per day, five days every week. Once you switch to a four-day workweek, you continue to work 40 hours.
But you’re employed 10 hours per day for four days. you’re not going to need everyone on staff work a four-day week; you’ll need to decide on the best way to support both your employee wants and your business needs.
The additional time off doesn’t need to be a Monday or Friday in order that the worker gets a three-day weekend—although your employees may prefer this schedule over others.
Does 4 day work week save money?
If an employee is salaried or isn’t eligible for overtime pay, then there’s no problem related to a shortened workweek. the worker receives an equivalent amount of pay, no matter the amount of hours worked.
If an employee is non-exempt (whether salaried or hourly), the worker is eligible for overtime pay. Typically, an employee is eligible for overtime if she works more than 40 hours during a single week. The paycheck for an employee who works five eight hour days has parity for an employee who works four ten-hour days.
Advantages of a shorter workweek
For an employee the advantages are pretty clear: having another day with no work and no commute can have a big impact on mindset and the ability to accommodate other commitments. But the worker isn’t the sole one who may benefit from a shortened workweek.
Several studies show various benefits like reduced stress, increased productivity, and happier more engaged employees. Having the additional time off per week may be a big benefit that keeps good employees from moving on to another company.
It’s a fact that work will expand to fill the amount of time we give it. For many, that extra bit of eustress to tasks done within a tighter time frame is something they’re more than happy to endure in trade for more of their own time.
Disadvantages
First, the four-day workweek doesn’t work for each business and positively not for each employee. If your customers expect to seek out people that are available five days every week , then an employee who is unavailable every Friday could cause problems.
A four-day workweek also can make childcare more challenging. Many daycares and after-school care programs schedule their programs around a predictable 8 am to 5 pm type schedule.
People may feel refreshed by having an additional time off, but they may experience extra pressure to commit to the extra hours required in a working day.
In the case of an employee who has a compressed week while others work the normal Monday-Friday schedule, that person may feel pressure to call into meetings or answer messages on their time off causing inflated stress.
Should your facility implement a 4 day workweek?
The answer really depends on your business’ needs and your employees’ wants. If you have an employee asking about working a shorter week but contributing the same hours, it certainly may be worth consideration to maintain balance.
Perhaps try a short trial run for a couple of months to ascertain how it works out for you. Flexibility may be a huge benefit that appeals to a higher quality of staff when searching for from an employer. Everybody wins!
