Today I’m discussing some of the benefits of a four day work week. Four-day work weeks are being tested and are becoming popular in more places around the world; this is currently being trialled in many businesses within the UK. Keep reading to find out why the four day work week is something worth considering for your workplace.
Benefits of a Four Day Work Week
One of the main reasons behind the four day work week being trialled is The Great Resignation. Due to the skills shortage, the employees now have the upper hand, so they are gravitating towards businesses that offer such incentives. Businesses are seeing how this is positively impacting their forward-thinking competitors, and are then implementing this too.
Workers have reevaluated what is important to them, especially with working from home through the pandemic. They benefited from reduced commuting time and costs, and enjoyed spending time with their family. People have longed for a better work-life balance, hence many employers seriously looking into the benefits of a four day work week.
If you need any more convincing as to why you should implement a four day working week into your business, carry on reading!
Boosts Employee Retention
Employers across the globe are reporting that promoting a four day working week boosts employee retention. Employees are feeling more rewarded for their work and this is reflecting in their service to the company.
It is a massive incentive to work for a company that has this offering – you can balance your life easily knowing that you have more time to do things you enjoy. Staff are happier in the workplace, which increases productivity. A happy employee creates a positive work environment for others to emulate.
Better Work/Life Balance
Work-life balance is probably the most important factor to consider when you have a busy life. People struggle to find ways to balance work alongside spending quality time with family and friends, not to mention running a home, cooking, cleaning, ironing, packed lunches – the to-do list is relentless.
Sometimes all this becomes a priority before taking care of yourself. A four day working week can help balance your life, improving health and mindset, allowing yourself to have a bit of ‘me time’ without the guilt. This will lead to a more positive outlook on life, improving your wellbeing and focusing more on the balance, rather than ticking a list.
Case Study
One employer, Bolton-based Go2Mortgage, has reported that their employees ‘love having an extra ‘weekend’ day’ and are much more refreshed when they come into the office on Mondays. Their Founder, Gary Oxborough, said: ‘I did a fair bit of research on this before implementing it and have to agree with the research in that we haven’t seen any reduction in productivity, and the staff certainly appreciate it.’ They have definitely seen benefits of a four day work week.
Encourages a More Productive Team
Employers are finding that a four day working week actually improves productivity and that their team is more focused and generally happier, which reflects in their working behaviour. This has been a way to create a better working environment and a more engaged workforce, with less chance of burnout.
Evidence has suggested that shorter working hours make better workers, as well as that employees get more done in fewer hours. Employees also report a greater awareness of workload, which helps to highlight when you need to make another hire. You reward the team and the rewards will come right back to you.
Attractive Benefit to Promote When Hiring new Employees
Finding the right employee with good work ethics and morals is difficult to attract and retain. Research has shown that promoting a four day working week can attract more applicants. This again can contribute to a better work-life balance for business owners, as encouraging great talent through your door means there are less projects for you to pick up the pieces of.
The commuting time and cost will be massively reduced for the employee, which is an added benefit. Businesses are noticing that recruiting is less challenging when having this benefit to promote. This is one of the most appealing benefits of a four day work week to perspective employees.
Reduced Costs
A four day working week can reduce costs if you decide to close the office for a day. This will result in larger cash flow, and commuting costs will be significantly reduced, which for the employee is a very attractive benefit. Research shows that there are less sickness days due to occupational stress, which results in the reduction of employer cost for sickness leave.
Overall, there are a huge variety of benefits of a four day work week. So why not consider implementing this as a trial and watch as your employees reap the benefits.
