Time To Switch? Four-Day Work Weeks Are Good For Employees¡¯ Health, Finds Study

At a time when many companies around the world are still struggling to decide whether to switch completely to returning to the office, go for a hybrid model, or continue with remote work, some companies are happy after experimenting on another tangent.

The four-day work week. And after some studies found the benefits of a four day work week for companies, a recent study found that it is actually beneficial for employees too.

This makes it a win-win for both employers and employees, right?

Four-Day Work Week's Benefits

getty

Around one year after launching a pilot program that tested a four-day workweek at companies in the US and Canada, employees¡¯ average hours continued to reduce as companies found new ways to save time.

And now, new research from 4 Day Week Global, the non-profit organisation that coordinated the study, tracks the health, well-being, and business outcomes of 41 firms as they adopted shorter hours last year. The report found that a year after launching the trials, conducted over six months, employees¡¯ average workweek dropped to less than 33 hours from 38 hours, a big step closer to the target of the 32 hours that make up a workweek consisting of four eight-hour days, as per the Bloomberg report.

The researchers attribute the further cutback in hours to firms figuring out more ways to be efficient rather than relying on ratcheting up work intensity. Time savings came from scheduling fewer meetings, streamlining communication, and building in more focus time to reduce distractions.

Also Read: Work From Home May Become A Legal Right In Netherlands

"Physical & Mental Health Scores Steady During 4-Day Work Week"

istock

The study suggests that the benefits of shifting to a four-day week may last and grow stronger over time, rather than dissipating.

¡°A concern we frequently hear is there¡¯s no way the results from our six-month trials can be maintained, as the novelty eventually must wear off, but here we are a year later with benefits only continuing to grow,¡± Dale Whelehan, CEOof 4 Day Week Global said in the report. ¡°This is very promising for the sustainability of this model.¡±

Self-reported physical and mental health scores held steady over the full year, while work-life balance continued to improve. At the same time, though, burnout rates ticked up and workers¡¯ job satisfaction dropped, though both remain better than before. ¡°This suggests the positive effects a four-day week has on life satisfaction may be more deeply embedded in individuals' overall well-being than in job satisfaction alone,¡± lead researcher Juliet Schor, a professor at Boston College, wrote in the report.

No Company Wants To Return To A 5-Day Work Week

shutterstock

The 4-day work week schedule boosted companies¡¯ ability to hire and retain staff, with almost a third of employees who said they were seriously considering leaving now saying they¡¯re less likely to do so. When asked how much they¡¯d have to get paid to go back to five days, almost half said they¡¯d need significant raises to consider it, while about one in 10 said no amount of money would be enough.

None of the companies expressed a desire to return to the conventional five day (Monday-Friday) schedule.

Also Read: 82% Companies In India Agree That Employees' Mental Health Impacts Their Business, Reveals Study

For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here