4-Day workweek and why everyone should have it
Imagine yourself having a public holiday every week of the working year. Imagine finally having the time to enjoy things you have always wanted to do. How does that make you feel?
I recently (5 months ago) started working a 4-day work week which has been incredibly life-changing. Not only has the 4-day workweek increased my productivity, but it has also given back my freedom.
The five-day workweek has been adopted worldwide since the early 1900s union advocacy. The 4-day workweek has increased in popularity over the past few decades, with President Richard Nixon of the United States promising Americans that they would only have to work four days in the late 1950s. Before that, 6-day workweeks were the cultural norm, so we have already come a long way in recognising the adverse effects of working long weeks.
More productivity, less stress
Past experiences have taught me that burnout is real. It is a killer of achieving a flow state and must be avoided at all times. As a fresh graduate in 2018, I told myself I needed to be the best; to be the best, I had to work the longest. I needed to make sure I was the last one leaving and the first one to arrive at work the following day. I soon realised that productivity does not mean spending long hours at work; instead, it is about understanding the environments where you work best and your limits. The 4-day workweek creates an environment where you know and adapt towards these limits. Unlike everyone else, you have 32 hours to achieve your goals. Knowing that you have less time than everyone else, you have to focus on the best path to success, which is a particular skill to have. Having intention and daily goals to maximise efficiency. A New Zealand-based company called Perpetual Guardian underwent a study of the 4-day workweek to observe employee productivity levels. The results showed that employees experienced less stress decreasing from 45% to a stunning 38%, and improved job satisfaction overall.
Less cognitive loads, better learning
Being a Software Engineer means a lifetime of continuous learning. Whether it be a new framework or technology, we always look for ways to improve our lives. We are problem solvers at the core, and being a problem solver comes with heavy cognitive loads. A cognitive load refers to the number of working memory resources used. You can think of it as a sticky note during a brainstorming session. You may remember it in the first instance, but your memory may deteriorate over time. Long-term memory can only store information after being processed in working memory. These heavy cognitive loads result in information retention problems and can contribute to migraines and stress. Since working memory is limited in size and duration, having an extra day off could help coagulate new learnings and reduce the amount of information kept in working memory. This slight shift has helped me solidify my knowledge and significantly reduced the strain experienced with information overload.
Increased creativity, happy employees and retention
Having an extra day off during the week means completing admin tasks that are impossible during the weekend. It means finally catching up with that book you’ve wanted to finish or that pottery class you’ve been meaning to attend. It means having the time to go to the gym and prioritising your physical and mental health. Henley Business School of the University of Reading’s “Four Better or Four Worse” white paper reported that businesses implementing the 4-day workweek showed an incredible 70% in their employees experiencing more happiness. Happy employees, happy life, right? Solving two problems with a single action, happier employees also means more retention, with 63% of employers saying that providing a four-day workweek has helped them retain their workforce.
Closing the gender pay gap
If I haven’t sold you on the 4-day workweek yet, I’ve saved the best for last, which is how the 4-day workweek contributes to closing the gender pay gap. Research from the Gender Pay Gap from the Government Equalities Office shows that over 2 million British people are currently unemployed, with 89% being women. A 4-day workweek would help create an equal workplace because employees can now spend more time with family and achieve better balances between domestic and work commitments. It’s a win-win for everyone.
The 4-day workweek has positively impacted my life, and I can’t imagine returning to working five days a week. With noticeable improvements in my physical and mental health, I feel fortunate to be part of a company that puts its people first. I leave you with this quote from Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, less is <more/>.
