4 day week - would it work for you?

The 4-day working week requires a shift away from counting ‘hours worked’ and a stronger focus on maximising what is achieved during those worked hours, it can bring many benefits to the workplace, such as:

Productivity maintained
Many jobs have a natural downtime - maybe on a Friday afternoon when the phones are quiet, or a Wednesday (hump day)… We’re not robots and in order to maintain productivity across 5 days, many of us need these rest periods. However in a part time work pattern; employees have more time to rest and recover in between work days, which means they are able to maintain productivity across their shorter week.

Happier workforce
An extra day to rest has many benefits; from an increased focus when at work (as discussed above) to better health (less stress and need for sick days) and finally a feeling of being in better control of your work life balance.

Equality in the workforce
A 4-day working week (or perhaps 9.30am-2.30pm/ 5 days per week) can allow for better juggling of childcare and work, which can lead to a more equal workforce where parental responsibility is shared more equally.

Smaller Carbon Footprint
One less day of commuting will have a positive impact on the environment, but consider if you’re in the lucky position to be able to close your office one day a week? Not only are you helping improve the air quality of your area by reducing commuting, you are also saving on your heating and electricity bills!

Making it work
A temptation of the 4 day week is to cram 5 days into 4 longer days but that can lead to increased stress levels and burnout, so it’s very important to consider each job carefully and decide how tasks can be streamlined. Are there jobs which could be automated, freeing up your team to concentrate on the more productive aspects of their role? Consider it as a useful job evaluation - as a way to improve efficiency.

Whatever you need for your workplace in 2023, we're here to help!

Wishing all of you a great and productive day.

SOS Business Staff.