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I have been following with interest the trials of the four-day work week that are being run by various groups globally.
The results are resounding; employees love it and productivity is high, as is employee engagement. Will it last and can we sustain this long term?
Let’s face it, two days isn’t really long enough to recover when many of our people are working long hours due to inefficient technology, increased client expectations, outdated systems and processes, and people not willing to drive and adopt change. All of which cause high levels of stress, unhappy clients and employees, and ultimately, the loss of people from the business.
So, would you be willing to work for a business that enables you to work four days a week, where you must do 100 per cent of the work, 80 per cent of the time for 100 per cent of the pay?
It would mean that we would potentially have less meetings, high levels of efficiency and automation, less emails, high levels of productivity, and more connection and collaboration with our teams.
Imagine what you could do with that extra day off. And you must leave your phone behind at work so you are genuinely not disturbed and those doing your work can take the calls.
However, the key for a four-day week to work long term, I believe, is our ability to keep up productivity. Can we do 100 per cent of the work 80 per cent of the time long term?
We do need to rethink the world of work; we are being challenged to do so, and the old paradigm that work is only done in the office is certainly dead.
The other consideration is, “Will remuneration be impacted long term? Will it open up the door for more job share opportunities? Could we bring more women back into the workplace part-time?”
The four-day work week trial is in play, and the results will be in over the next six months. It isn’t something I recommend you implement without these results and a strategy that involves your people.
In the meantime, here is my conversation with Michelle Rigg from Rent West in WA who is currently participating in one of the trials.
Sadhana Smiles is the CEO of Real Estate Industry Partners (REIP). She’s just kicked off her own podcast series, Future-Fit Leadership.
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