Why Companies Are Joining The Four-day Workweek Movement

The pandemic highlighted a need to revamp the traditional work schedule, which has led companies large and small to pivot to four-day workweeks.

The traditional 9 to 5 workweek has been uprooted due to the impact of the ongoing health crisis.

At the beginning of the pandemic, coming into the office five days a week, eight hours a day was not only a safety hazard, but it was soon found to be unnecessary.

Employees have discovered that they are just as productive, if not more, when choosing their own schedules and having more flexibility in their workdays.

For instance, Japanese conglomerate Panasonic recently revealed that workers would have the option to work four days a week to allow employees more time to “take side jobs, volunteer or just relax.”

The four-day workweek has been one of the most popular strategies in attracting and retaining new workers, especially as the world faces a labor shortage.

For many employees, a shorter workweek allows them to show up and get their best work done, rather than simply be in the office with a micromanager that squeezes in unnecessary meetings and is constantly looking over their shoulder.

Beyond the counterproductive traditional work week, having just two days off for a weekend has been found to be insufficient for employees who need time to recharge and address their personal responsibilities. 

In response to the need for shorter work weeks, Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart started a grassroots nonprofit organization called The 4-Day Week Global, which aims to help companies create their own shorter workweek policies.