Thursday is the new Friday
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A majority of the companies participating in one of the largest four-day workweek pilot programs in history say they’ve experienced no loss in productivity at the halfway point of the experiment, per a survey published last week by nonprofit 4 Day Week Global.
🇬🇧 Background: 73 UK companies are signed up for the currently ongoing six-month trial, where 3,300+ employees across banks, marketing, health care, retail, hospitality and other industries receive a paid day off every single week.
📅 After three months…
- 36 of the 41 participating companies that responded to a survey said the experiment was going “well” (88%).
- 85% of survey respondents said they were “likely” or “extremely likely” to consider continuing the same schedule after the trial ends in late November.
- 46% said productivity stayed around the same level as before, while 34% reported that it "improved slightly," and 15% said it “improved significantly.” Overall, 39 of the 41 respondents reported no loss in productivity.
🌎 Zoom out: Similar experiments are currently being held by 4 Day Week Global on a smaller scale in other nations, including Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and Sweden. In the US and Canada, 40 companies are in the midst of an ongoing four-day workweek pilot program, while another 80 companies have signed up for a second phase starting next month.
đź“Š Flash poll: Do you think a four-day workweek will ever become commonplace in America?
See a 360° view of what the media is saying →
Sprinkles in favor of a four-day workweek
- Some commentators argue that now is the perfect time for America to experiment with a four-day workweek, given that the Covid pandemic just upended social and professional norms.
- Others contend that the proof is in the pudding: so far, every four-day workweek trial has shown to benefit both the workers and companies that signed up to participate.
- “What if every week was a four-day workweek?” –LA Times Editorial Board
- “The case for the four-day workweek” –Joe O'Connor and Juliet Schor, CNN Business
- “​​An idea whose time has come: the four-day workweek” –Leah Hancock, Baltimore Sun
Sprinkles against a four-day workweek
- Some commentators argue that employees cramming the equivalent of five days worth of work into four days can easily lead to worker burnout, which ultimately harms the employees and the company as a whole.
- Others contend that the idea of a four-day workweek seems great, but in reality it simply isn’t feasible for most workers who perform manual labor, like cashiers or construction workers.
- “Four-Day Workweeks Can Burn You Out” –Sarah Green Carmichael, Bloomberg
- “More companies are trying out the 4-day workweek. But it might not be for everyone” –Jeevika Verma, NPR Morning Edition
- “Why The 4-Day Workweek Is A Terrible Idea” –Marc Effron, Talent Quarterly
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