Although the 40-hour workweek has been standard for over 80 years, advancements in technology and efficiency in the workplace have decreased the time it takes to accomplish a task. You may have noticed your employees now have more time on their hands, although the signs could be subtle: an uptick in internet surfing, more extended lunches, or maybe #watercooler is becoming the most active channel on your company Slack.
One solution could be giving your employees more work, but what if, instead, you tried reducing their hours? As European countries have begun experimenting with a shorter workweek, the results of those tests have been impressive enough that the idea is being bounced around worldwide. So, should your company give it a try? Let’s examine some of the pros and cons of the four-day workweek.
Costs
As with any business decision, the financial impact is always an important one to consider. Operating your business only four days a week could lead to lower operational costs. That’s one day a week less that you’ll need to keep the physical workspace lit up and cozy for employees and/or customers, saving you money on utility bills.
However, these potential savings could be offset by hiring more employees if your customers still need you to be open five days a week. An alternative to hiring more employees could be to stagger your current employee’s schedules. This is particularly wise for the 13% of Americans who own a small business and must consider these costs while maximizing worker happiness and productivity.
You may also expect to see savings in your payroll costs by only paying for 32 hours of work instead of 40, although this may not lead to the productivity you’re trying to achieve. In the UK pilot program, the employers who signed up were encouraged to use the 100 to 80 to 100 model, which means the employers agreed to continue giving 100% of the pay 80% of the time. In exchange, the employees agreed to maintain 100% productivity.
And how has that worked out for them? Three months into the UK pilot program, the data reported from participating companies have been encouraging. 4 Day Week Global, spearheading the initiative, wrote that “46% of respondents say their business productivity has ‘maintained around the same level,’ while 34% report that it has ‘improved slightly,’ and 15% say it has ‘improved significantly.”
Climate considerations
Another vote in favor of the four-day workweek is the reduction of global carbon emissions. Commuting for one less day a week is the apparent reason behind this, but there’s another one.
When people have three days off instead of two, they may choose a slower travel method for leisure. In general, slower travel is less polluting for our environment (for example, walking to an activity rather than driving there).
Refreshed workers
Speaking of having three days off, more time off equals happier employees. Having more time to relax leads to lower stress levels, which can lead to more productive employees.
Not only that, but the benefits aren’t just for your employees. Their families will benefit from the extra time with them, as well.
Tough transitions
There could be drawbacks to implementing the four-day workweek. While most of the companies in the UK study have reported that the initial transition from five days to four went smoothly, that’s because they were trained and prepared before they began. There will be challenging moments during the beginning, especially if you jump right in without a plan. Don’t forget to include your customers in this plan, either. Their feedback could be instrumental in your implementation.
Making the switch can be hard on your employees, as well. Parkinson’s Law states that “work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” Employees that have become used to dawdling over an eight-hour day to finish a project may find it hard at first to complete the same amount of work in less time. They may struggle with the new time frame and work longer hours than their coworkers.
Managing benefits
Another thing to consider is your Paid Time Off (PTO) structure. If you have employees who earn PTO based on the number of hours they work, they may not be happy to learn that they will make less PTO with a four-day workweek.
You may need to remodel your entire benefits package when you switch. This is particularly crucial for those with complex benefits packages beyond just PTO, which could be affected by shortened hours. What’s more, pay cycles could be disrupted.
Company cohesion
One final drawback to the shorter workweek is that your employees will spend less time together. While the pandemic taught us that remote work is a viable option, we also discovered that losing social interaction with our coworkers could be detrimental to our productivity.
Humanity’s most significant achievements have been based partly on our ability to work well together. A tight-knit team working together on a project will have more tremendous success than individual workers could on their own.
Conclusion
These are only a few pros and cons of shorter workweeks. Every organization is different, including your own. Making this decision could affect your bottom line and the personal well-being of both you and your employees.
Consider all of these aspects before making the switch.
Nahla Davies is a writer, software engineer, and technical copywriter based in New York.
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