Hard Work vs Smart Work : Four-day Work Week

What is meant by four days work week?


Image 3.1 Source : sudonull.com


Reducing the office hours has been a prime point of focus for workers around the world for centuries. The major reason behind this emerging theory was that the limitations of staff at office due to covid 19 and companies began to focus on the work-life balance of employees at the same time as well.

In the present day context workers often works six or 6½ days a week in most nations. Working four days a week or the “Four-Day Work Week” has become the latest topic in the world amidst the pandemic specially with modern trends in work culture such as remote work. 


What is the impact of working four days a week?



Image 3.2 Source : forbes.com

Past research has proven that by lowering the number of working hours a week, employee satisfaction, as well as life satisfaction, has improved (Lu, 2020)

According to “The Economist” (2021) the number of hours needed to produce as much work has reduced over the past 50 years. It indicates that approximately 10 hours would be sufficient now to achieve the same amount of work done in 40 hours in the 1950s. The production rate is equal to that of a 40-hour worker indicates that the four-day workweek would be an increasing trend rather than a radical departure from historical norms (The Economist, 2021).

Image 3.3 Source : workfutures.io


Robert Grosse (2018) states that the introduction of a four-day workweek is  highly beneficial for both the organization and its workers due to the reason for the circumstance that it can help save time and money, increase the workers’ self- esteem and job satisfaction with improved productivity.


It should also be taken into consideration that the possibility of a four-day/ eight-hour work week will decrease employees’ fatigue and lower their burnout rate from over-working. (Meah, 2021). Four-day workweeks is also beneficial in balancing the work and personal life as they spend 20 percent less time per week getting to work and returning home if they only must go to work four times a week rather than five (Spencer, 2019).



Image 3.4 Source : toggl.com

Spain, New Zealand, Japan, Iceland and UK are among the countries that have successfully trialed the four day work weeks and had “productivity” as well as “employee satisfaction” gains over 20%.


Conclusion



Image 3. 5 Source : amp.theatlantic.com

As the modern global trends in working continues to rise it is important for all the organizations and nations to deploy scientific approach in improving productivity and employee satisfaction simultaneously. Four Day Work week has already been trialed and researched and the results are always positive in all occasions. Embracing such a radical change as organizations can be difficult but as the world is continuing to evolve and the rapid cultural changes taking place, sooner or later organizations will have to adapt the recent work trends in the globalized economy in order to stay relevant and competitive.




 



References



Grosse, R. E., 2018. "The four day work week". Routledge.

Lu, M. (2020, February 19). These 3 studies point to the mental health benefits of working less. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/02/shorter-workweek- people-happier.com

Meah, N., 2021, July, "Four-day work week would help workers live fuller lives", WP MP louis chua. TODAYonline.https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/four-day-work- week-would-help-workers-live-fuller-lives-wp-mp-louis-chua

Spencer, D.  2021, July, " Commentary: The four-day work week is necessary. Here’s how to make it happen".,CNA. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/four-day-work- week-and-how-to-make-it-happen-realistic-1327246



Comments

  1. Good & informative article which important to manage human capital in the organization. Smart work is something that can find effective and efficient ways to complete one or multiple tasks while also managing time and quality to improve the operational efficiency of the organization.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Harwork not effective always as smartwork does. Majority of work force, doing hardwork due lack of knowledge, or due to narrow thinking pattern. Smat thinking and work may leads save employees energy and time. It's directly linking with organisational productivity.

    ReplyDelete
  3. good article and proposal , if we apply we have enough time to spend with our family as well we can work very efficiently 4 days for company ,

    ReplyDelete
  4. It is very good and one of the best practices that HRM can easily adapt. Since the HRM team is the group that deals with lots of paperwork and by converting to the GHRM team can help a lot to save the earth. I just pointed only one area but there are good and valuable points in the blog. Really good article.

    ReplyDelete

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