Words by Smiley Team
The pandemic opened our eyes to the possibilities of working more flexibly, with up to 80% of remote workers in the UK saying they would like to continue working from home for at least part of the week. What if we took this a step further and worked fewer days for the same pay?
It may sound too good to be true, but the four-day work week is supported by strong environmental, social and economic arguments. In the UK, the public are growing increasingly fond of the idea and a petition to make this shift has surpassed 50,000 signatures.
“Due to Covid-19, some people have had a taste of a better work-life balance working remotely and flexibly,” Anna Diski, who launched the petition, tells Smiley News. “So instead of returning to business as usual together with its environmental and human costs, this is the moment to create a much better world.”
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Employers might worry that working fewer days would reduce productivity, but studies have shown the opposite is true. As Anna explains, the four-day week is good for the economy as well as the environment and workers. Here, we walk through why.
Contrary to expectations, numerous studies have shown a four-day week with no loss of pay will boost productivity. “If we're burnt out, overworked and stressed, we're not going to do a very good job,” says Anna. “But if we have a bit more time to ourselves to rest and recharge, we're going to return to work each week feeling motivated and able to perform better.”
Germany, Sweden and Japan have adopted the new, shorter work week in the hope it will not only raise productivity and halve unemployment, but also give people more time to spend their money – improving circulation.
As reasoned by the Japanese government, a shortened work week opens the labour market to people who can't work full-time due to caring duties. This offers employers access to highly talented people who they would otherwise not be able to employ. As women are more likely to do unpaid care work, the shift could also tackle gender inequality in the workforce.
And the economic benefits are also seen on a smaller scale. All 25 companies who adopted the four-day week under the 4 Day Week Campaign’s accreditation scheme either experienced increased or stable productivity and profits.
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In terms of workers’ interests, a shorter week dramatically reduces stress and improves wellbeing. Studies have shown that more than half of sick days are due to work-related stress and with heightened stress levels, workers’ productivity and the quality of work declines.
“In stark contrast, when workers shift to a four-day week they report feeling less stress and their work-life balance improves,” says Anna. “We can't underestimate how big an effect these simple things can have on our wellbeing.”
This was the case for software company Buffer, who reported a higher level of productivity and autonomy across their entire team. Other companies say their staff can concentrate easier and meet deadlines quicker.
But that’s not all. If adopted on a large scale, shorter work weeks could help us transition to the greener economy we urgently need.
Working on reduced hours correlates with significantly less energy consumption from transport – and because of this, people take up more sustainable behaviours. Anna explains: “For example, workers spend more time with their family cooking more sustainably at home or take slower, more sustainable forms of travel.”
Ultimately, this is the most important reason from Anna’s perspective because, she says, “we need to be doing everything in our power to reduce emissions and limit the worst effects of climate change, especially after the recent IPCC report said there'll be climate disaster unless urgent action is taken".
Climate campaigner and career coach Zoe Cohen echoes these sentiments: “I honestly do believe we will have to go in this direction [of a shorter working week] to reduce the ‘throughput’ of our modern consumption focused society, in order to reduce emissions and our other negative impacts on the planet, whilst creating a healthier and more caring world in the process.”
To put your name behind the campaign for a four day week, sign the petition here. Find resources and more information on how to introduce the four day week to your workplace on the 4 Day Week Campaign website.
