From school, most of us get used to the fact that there are five or six working days a week. But the weekend goes by so fast that we don’t have time to enjoy it.
Also, more and more work is now being associated with anxiety, burnout, and stress. But some are beginning to realize that it is still possible to work less and just as efficiently.
To find out if this is indeed the case, a large-scale experiment was launched in the UK on 22 June this year. During this experiment, about 3,300 employees from nearly 70 companies switched to a four-day work week for six months. At the same time, they worked 32 hours, not 40. During this time they received the same salary as before.
Interim results show that some employees (for example, account manager Emily Morrison) felt better in this scenario. Thus, by increasing the amount of free time Emily was able to get rid of severe anxiety before the start of the first working day. An additional day off has also had a positive impact on the life of Lisa Gilbert, Charity Bank’s head of loan service.
At the same time, the transition to a four-day work week can create many problems. For example, it can be difficult for people to get used to a new program. A month later, employees began working more efficiently, according to Unity executive Samantha Losey. True, if performance drops (there’s a 25 percent chance) then Losey will consider going back to “five days”.
A similar experiment was conducted earlier – in 2015-2019. Subsequently, the working week was reduced by one day for approximately 2.5 thousand employees. As a result, it turned out that such a transition does not affect people’s productivity in any way. It also significantly improved the quality of life of employees.
News cannot be equated with a doctor’s prescription. Consult an expert before making a decision.
Source: Ferra
