What are the benefits of a 4 day work week?

To most people, working five days a week seems as natural as looking both ways before you cross the road, or brushing your teeth before bedtime. But are you aware that our current working structure only started in the 1800s – and that it could soon change again?

Momentum is gathering in Scotland to trial a 4 day working week, where professionals do 20% fewer hours but retain their same salary. Industry experts believe this will improve people’s wellbeing without impacting productivity, and 9 in 10 Scottish MPs support the four day week pilot scheme.

While the trial won’t be open to every business – at the moment, only office-based firms will be included – employers across the world will be watching Scotland closely. And there will be one burning question on their lips: what are the benefits of a four day work week?

Here are some of the things those companies can expect…

1. Happier, more productive employees

The opportunity to work one day less per week for the same money is not just exciting; for many professionals it could be truly life changing.

A better work/life balance will help people to rest and recharge, adjusting their priorities so they can get more done and spend time with family and friends. It’s also a chance for people to make positive health changes, such as exercising on their extra day off. And parents can reduce the number of hours their children are in childcare, making them happier and financially better off as a result.

Allowing your workforce to take their foot off the pedal three days a week also has productivity benefits. If staff are less stressed, better rested and more fulfilled, they come to work full of energy and ready to get stuck into their role.

As we’ve covered in a previous blog post, employee burnout is a serious problem, as Brits work £4,700 unpaid overtime per year. Moving to a four day week is a chance to change company culture, stop people from overworking, and get the best out of them when they’re in professional mode.

2. Fewer sick days

It’s not just productivity that can suffer when people’s energy levels run low. Burnout is a major contributing factor to sickness rates, as employees’ immune systems are put under pressure and their mental health starts to suffer.

This problem is exacerbated by the fact that many professionals feel guilty about taking time off due to illness. Meaning they still come into the office and pass contagious diseases around.

We recently discussed why companies should encourage staff to take more time off sick, to stop health problems impacting people’s performance and wellbeing. Moving to a four day week could improve people’s overall physical and emotional health levels, and reduce the need for such absences in the first place.

3. Reduced business costs

While certain bills will remain unaffected by a shorter working week, business owners can benefit from other costs going down if people are spending fewer hours on the job. For example, all computers and office electrical equipment will be used 20% less if you scale down to four days – meaning utility bills will reduce.

The same principle applies to other corporate overheads and employee perks. If you run a staff canteen, that means one day less to feed people; there’s lower usage of office supplies; contractors such as daily cleaning services can be scaled down; and you even reduce weekly tea and coffee consumption!

4. Lower environmental footprint

Switching off electrical appliances isn’t just kind to your bank balance. It also contributes to lower energy consumption, which is better for the environment. And if your workforce is office-based, you’re reducing their commuter mileage by 20% per week as well.

Even in companies where staff work remotely, it is unlikely people spend as much time in front of a screen during their personal life compared to working hours. So giving people an extra day off per week can support your company environmental policies and goals.

5. New recruitment opportunities

Workplace flexibility has been a major talking point during the pandemic. The pressures of lockdown showed companies that it’s possible to let staff work hours that fit their life commitments and still get good results.

Carrying this flexibility forward into a four day working week gives businesses the opportunity to recruit talented new team members that are unable to commit to a full-time role. The field is opened even further if you decide to let employees choose which day they take off, as candidates know they’ll be able to structure work around personal commitments.

But a word of warning: if you decide to let people take different days off each week, you will need a shift planning system or similar in place to manage this approach. Otherwise you risk staffing shortages and a breakdown in communication between team members who are all working different hours.

Moving successfully to a 4 day work week

As the debate over whether to offer people a fixed day off (e.g. Friday) versus letting them flex their schedules highlights, there’s a lot to consider if you want to make the transition to a four day week beneficial for everybody. Careful coordination of staff movements is critical if you want to improve the work/life balance without compromising productivity.

Shift planning technology like WhosOffice can be hugely valuable to companies trialling shorter working weeks, as it allows you to plan and share exactly who’s available to work at any point in time. And if you choose a cloud-based scheduling system, staff can even check who is still working on their day off via web portal or mobile app.

With a positive attitude and the right supporting tools, moving to a shorter work week can deliver huge benefits: soap making company, Gracefruit, has already increased profit and turnover by 16% since adopting a four day week, and the company hasn’t needed to replace a single team member in six years. But a transition this bold needs to be thought through thoroughly, with strategic systems and processes implemented to drive long-term success.

Trial WhosOffice for free to manage the impact of moving to a 4 day work week.