The 40-hour workweek was developed during the industrial age when people largely worked in factories. Now, we are in the participation age and societal norms have changed to the point that the 40-hour workweek is outdated which is why we should talk about the benefits of a 4-day workweek.
History of the 40-Hour Workweek
Alternative work schedules have gained popularity in recent years. The 5-day 40-hour workweek has been the standard since way back in the industrial age. During this time, people started working when they got to work, and quit working when they left. Working from home or outside of business hours was impossible.
What we’re in now is called the participation age. We are not only paid for our productivity, but also our thoughts and strategic thinking. A lot of this work happens after hours. The 40h workweek was built with the idea that one person worked and the other person stayed home to take care of the home and family. This is not the case anymore as social standards have evolved and work schedules need to be adjusted accordingly.
Benefits of a 4-Day Workweek
1 – Avoid Burnout
The first benefit of a 4-day workweek is avoiding burnout. Now finally, organizations and even some countries are implementing a 4-day work week or reduced schedule because when you work 4 days instead of 5 or more, then you have more time to take care of things at home and avoid burnout. Having a full-time job often means that people work more than 40 hours and are not paid overtime. I have worked at many companies that required at least 60h per week and that is not sustainable.
2 – Support Women
Another benefit is that a reduced workweek supports women in the workplace. In recent years, women have spoken up about the disparity between men and women who work full-time as women are often still expected to bear the full brunt of parenting and taking care of the home. The 40-hour workweek was created at a time when women stayed home full-time and men worked full-time. Having all genders work full-time does not leave enough time for family, recreation, or home making.
3 – Reduce Stress
Implementing a 4-day workweek is also known to reduce stress. When you reduce stress, this can greatly improve your mental and physical health. Take it from me, I had to take a year off of work because I was so burnt out and stressed out that it impacted me physically. People need time to relax and life is a lot more complex now than it was back in the industrial age. We need balance in order to be able to perform at our highest potential.
Implementing a 4-Day Workweek
The most popular approaches to a 4-day workweek include:
- Working 10h a day 4 days a week
- 8 hours a day 4 days a week.
- 6 hours a day 5 days a week (although this is not technically a 4-day workweek, it is a reduced schedule)
You can also offer any combination of these schedules. A flexible schedule should mean that your employees have a set number of hours to work each week and it doesn’t matter when they work. As long as your employees attend meetings, are responsive to communication, and are productive then you don’t have to prescribe set working hours for them. You need to decide which structure fits your organization and employee base.
Leadership Courses on Pluralsight
You can learn more about about this topic in my Pluralsight course, Managing Technical Professionals. This course includes animated scenario-based training and you will watch as a management team uses leadership best practices to help you get your employees to perform at their highest potential. When you’re finished with this course, you’ll have the skills that you need to provide a positive and productive working environment as well as attract and retain top talent. Click the button below to get started with a free trial today!