The four-day work week has quickly gained traction around the globe, with governments and large organizations exploring how this arrangement could positively impact employees.ย
But for employers, it could be a nightmare.ย
According to a recent Qualtrics survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, 92% said they supported a four-day work week, while 79% agreed this model would improve their mental health.ย
However, the transition to a shorter work week isnโt so simple. For every organization that does decide to take an extra day off, there are 100 others who abide by a traditional five-day work week.ย
โOne of the reasons itโs so challenging for me, and most people, to do a four-day workweek is other people are working on that fifth day, so youโre getting email and youโre getting pulled in,โ said Lisa Belanger, CEO of ConsciousWorksย ย ย
Another obstacle that comes with a four-day work week derives from customers. The research indicates that there is concern over how these staffing adjustments could impact response times.ย
While Qualtricsโ survey shows that 37% of respondents would take a 5% or more pay cut for a shorter work week, 72% said that a four-day work week would lead them to working longer days.ย
Some companies have avoided this issue by providing workers with their traditional work schedules, minus one day, without a reduction in pay. This is especially important as 10-hour days are not feasible for working parents.ย
โI think there is a lot of work and research that an organization has to do before it pulls the trigger on this,โ said Granger.ย
