What It Really Means to Work a 4 Day Work Week and What to Consider
A 4 day work week in theory sounds great. You work one less day a week, which allows for more free time to focus on your personal life, and to also have extended time for rest and relaxation. However, there are some things that need to be considered before looking at making the switch, as it’s not as easy of a switch to make.
There are so many factors and people that can be impacted by a shorter work week, so we spoke to business leaders about their thoughts on what it really means to work 4 days a week and the implications.
It often means longer hours
“A shorter work week doesn’t always mean less hours worked when you look at the week as a whole”, says Julia Meyer, the CBDO of Clever Control. “Most times you need to compensate by working longer hours which for a lot of people isn’t always the easiest. Working 10 hour days means having to change up plans frequently as most other people are still working the traditional 8 hours or less each day. Two hours extra might not seem like much, but after working that long 4 days a week, it could have some negative effects if you don’t prioritize self-care.
“To make it easier for employees, it can help to spread out the 4 days worked instead of working 4 days in a row. This makes it easier to manage, and having more flexible options makes this kind of work setup not as difficult to mix into someone’s routine.”
It could mean looking at extra support and resources
Brandon Aversano the founder of Alloy takes a look at the POV of an employer and what that might mean for the company. “Working longer hours usually means extra resources like tech support might be more difficult to acquire for your business. When you work less common hours, getting a hold of other companies might prove to be difficult, which is why you need to be able to find other tools or resources for your employees to work just as efficiently.
Having a tech team that works extended hours, or is open 24/7 is a good first step. As well as providing employees with better training to be able to solve common issues to avoid falling behind when you work longer shifts. And if employees are working remotely, and you are not available, then having someone they can connect with is important. Not having the extra support can impact employee morale and a 4 day work week becomes more stressful than it is helpful.”
Customer service might suffer
“When you work only 4 days per week, you are limiting the amount of time you are available for customer support”, says Motti Peer the Co-CEO of ReBlonde. “Most customers are envisioning a business that works Monday to Friday, so having one less day to be there for your customers can provide some challenges. You might end up with a lot more emails, phone messages and irritated customers, which is why looking at how you provide customer service is a must when you work shorter weeks.
“It’s also important to post your hours in all areas such as your social media, website, and even on Google when consumers type in your business name. It helps to also have a designated customer service team to work extensively on managing the extra flow of customer related affairs, so you can keep up with providing a good experience for your customers.”
After school care becomes more difficult
For those who have children, or other outside commitments, a 4 day work week sometimes doesn’t fit in with their personal schedule. For employees who have kids, or even hobbies or elderly parents, it can be tough to have to work more non-traditional hours even if we prefer it. This is because many other businesses still operate 5 days or more a week, which means times don’t always match up when it comes to personal commitments. It might mean having to find after school care, having someone check on a parent, or cutting back on personal hobbies.
It can be tough to change around your schedule when you have been used to a particular routine for so long. It might just mean making adjustments and taking full advantage of the extra day you have off.
