In Britain, many of us are still used to the nine to five, five days a week. But as our lifestyles evolve, could alternative working patterns help lower our stress levels? There’s been a lot of conversation around moving towards a four-day working week in the last few years. A recent study of UK workers found that over half would prefer a four-day working pattern to their current five-day week.
There are lots of benefits to working a four-day week, including increased family time, additional opportunities for socialising, and more effective ‘switched-off’ periods to give us a break from work.
However, there can be drawbacks. Moving to a four-day working week will not alter the amount of work that needs doing, which means in many cases the four-day week would come with either a pay-cut, or longer working days. This could cancel out the positive effects of additional days away from the desk.
Increasing Happiness
By moving to a four-day working week model, UK employees will have more time to spend at home. This will translate to more time spent with families, friends and loved ones, and more opportunities to undertake activities that help relieve stress. This could be anything from relaxing at home to undertaking a new hobby.
A four-day working week brings more balance to people’s work-life. By allowing a longer stretch of time away from the workplace, employers are giving workers more opportunity to effectively ‘reset’. Burnout at work, where an employee becomes overworked and over-tired can cause considerable stress.
A three-day weekend gives a more substantial break from workplace pressures and can allow workers to return to work with a fresher approach. A study among workers in New Zealand has illustrated the benefits of allowing workers an extra day at home. During a trial of the four-day working week, employees reported a 10% increase in their happiness at work.
Workplace Empowerment
Stress reduction as a result of the four-day working week doesn’t only stem from more time at home, but a better experience at work. By adjusting their working procedures and frameworks to better support their staff’s well-being and desires, companies are making their workers more committed and productive. This show of support for staff illustrates to them that they are valued, and their employers have their interests in mind.
This can be an important part of creating an open and supportive workplace where workers feel like they have a voice. The New Zealand study indicated that workers who swapped onto a four-day working week were actually 20% more productive than when they worked five days.
Knowing employers are on their side can help reduce stress among staff as they may be more likely to approach managers for support in other areas. Swapping to a four-day working week can help staff feel more comfortable in addressing topics such as stress and mental health in the workplace, further increasing their well-being.
The Compromises
Although a four-day working week can be great for well-being, there are things that could drive stress levels back up in the long-term and need to be considered. Swapping to a four-day working week model will not reduce the amount of work that needs doing. To ensure business continuity and stability with a four-day working week, there are a number of options for companies.
Hiring Additional Staff
If all employees in a business move down to a four-day working week, companies will have to employ more people to pick up the extra hours. If businesses made these additional hires without lowering salaries of existing employees, they would face a substantial rise in wage bills.
To make this option work long-term, wages would take a hit, which would place added stress and pressure on employees.
Introduce Longer Working Days
One way to keep the same working hours in a four-day working week, without recruiting more staff, would be to lengthen the day. Adjusting from nine to five, five days a week, to eight to six, four days a week, would offer the same number of working hours to a company.
This does have the downside of meaning early starts and late finishes, limiting opportunities for mid-week activities. Longer working days may specifically offer problems for parents. Many already struggle to balance childcare, school runs and work and this is likely to be made more difficult by longer working days.
Increase Productivity
Businesses might try and account for lost hours through increased productivity. This option will put undue pressure on staff to consistently reach difficult targets. The burnout and stress this will cause is very likely to outweigh the benefits of the four-day working week.
Studies have shown that in the short-term, four-day working weeks can lessen stress and increase happiness and productivity among workers. But this needs to be proven in the long-term. As with anything, there are positives and negatives when it comes to this change, and these need to be carefully considered if we are going to implement this idea.
By Sarah Aubrey
About the author
Sarah Aubrey is CEO at DPG PLC (Developing People Globally). DPG are a major training provider of L&M, HR and L&D qualifications, with over 25 years’ experience and 30,000 successful learners.
DPG are the UK’s only HR provider to offer CIPD qualifications as part of our apprenticeships. DPG enable professionals to build their capability, drive the performance of their organisation, and fast track their career unlike anyone else.
