No Loss of Productivity with a 4-days workweek

Evaluating the loss of productivity with a 4-days workweek is an idea that has been gaining momentum as of late. This new trial from Kickstarter, which will allow staff members to take three days off with pay but still complete all their tasks within the week’s time limit, could be a sign of things changing for employees everywhere who often feel like they’re being sold out. Mainly because there need to be more hours left over after you count your weekends (or Fridays) when thinking about what life would look like on this side.

Buoyed by a mounting pile of academic research and success stories from Iceland, Japan, New Zealand and elsewhere, companies worldwide are abandoning the traditional Monday-Friday model in favour of a 4-days workweek. Most of them aren’t looking back. 

The 4-Days Workweek Trial

In the UK, Atom Bank introduced a four-day, 32-hour working week with no staff pay reduction in November 2021. Almost immediately, the company says it saw a 500% increase in applications for job vacancies, and in August 2022, the organization reported that productivity had increased by an incredible 92%. 

An employee survey found that 91% of staff could accomplish everything they needed in four days. And now, companies are eager to replicate these success stories. In June 2022, 70 companies in the UK comprising 3,300 employers embarked on what is perhaps the largest workplace experiment in a generation.

Should workers be required to give up their weekends for companies and society as a whole to work more efficiently? It is an issue that has been weighing heavily on many people’s minds lately. But what if there was something good coming out of this trend? A chance at new reforms explicitly designed with your well-being at heart! 

Six-month-long pilots are underway across Europe, exploring whether reducing hours worked per week while maintaining productivity can help company profitability and more outstanding employee happiness/productivity metrics.

How to implement it?

With the right partner, you can grow your business in a way that is both quick and compliant. Our international workforce partners are experienced in helping growing companies to reach new heights across borders worldwide. Take advantage of our EOR services which automatically send support payments made by employers like yourself – all handled promptly every month. Contact us today to speak with our experts about switching to a 4-day workweek!