The 40-hour, five-day workweek may not be the ideal schedule for employees’ productivity.
Employees have had a taste of choosing their own work arrangements, and many don’t have the desire to go back to the old ways of working.
“Having shorter work hours reduces stress levels, which makes for happier, more productive employees,” said Brad Touesnard, founder and CEO of consumer-oriented server control panel SpinupWP. “They can spend more time with their friends and loved ones, doing the things they love.”
By embracing shorter workdays or weeks, employees can actually spend their work time being as productive as possible, instead of trying to run out the clock. This also gives workers the chance to focus on their personal life when work is done, rather than having them interfere with one another.
So how can organizations implement this type of policy?
For starters, business leaders should receive employee feedback about what their ideal schedule looks like. Research different methods, such as the four-day workweek or simply shorter workdays, and see what fits each employee best.
Additionally, explore how culture may be impacted by these changes. For instance, self-paced work may be favored over group work in this scenario. However, if your team relies heavily on collaboration, dedicate time in the week for teamwork.