It sounds too good to be true, but many companies around the world are beginning to adopt a 4-day work week in an attempt to increase productivity.
The idea is simple. You get paid the same salary and still have to work the average of 40 hours a week. The difference is that you will have four longer work days so that you can enjoy a three-day weekend. Pioneering businesses, such as Microsoft, have found this approach to yield higher productivity and employees that are more motivated and less burnt out. It seems like an attractive and easy way to help you better maintain your work-life balance, but it does come with its own challenges
and might not be viable for everyone.
IT WORKS OVERSEAS, BUT WHAT ABOUT HERE?
‘Many workplaces do not support a healthy work-life balance. Migrant labour, shift systems, long working hours and the use of modern technology to remain in touch 24/7 can result in employees being unable to balance their lives.’ This statement was made by the SA Board for People Practices (SABPP) in 2018. In their research, they found that companies overseas have had a resounding success not only with compressed work weeks, but also with allowing more part-time work, job sharing, career breaks and study leave. The biggest benefit for these businesses is that they found allowing more flexible work schedules in general played a huge part in employees wanting to stay at the company.
A local study was conducted by Professors Aletta Odendaal from Stellenbosch University and Gert Roodt from University of Johannesburg, which indicated that local employers are a bit reluctant to get onboard for a number of reasons. Their results showed that many managers have a fear that they would be unable to effectively manage their staff if their employees were not physically present. This is the case when proper performance-management systems aren’t in place, making it possible for bosses to take advantage of the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ argument. This means they don’t have a very good idea of how their staff have been working in their flexible hours come performance review time.
South Africans also face challenges that big European conglomerates do not. For example, if an employee who uses public transport is asked to begin working 10-hour work days, travelling at later hours might be unsafe, especially in the darker winter months. It is also important to remember that a compressed work week doesn’t give you Friday, Saturday and Sunday off every week. The schedule is typically designed similarly to shift work, where everyone takes turns to get a traditional weekend.
For low-income households, arranging childcare without the resources for a babysitter can become difficult over weekends and public holidays. Therefore, as an employer and an employee, it is important to consider every factor, no matter how big or small, before making the decision to take on a compressed work week because for some, it could potentially make their work-life balance even more treacherous.
THE GOOD
If you opt for a four-day work week, not only do you stand the chance of better balance in your life with full pay and benefits, but you will also spend less time and money on transport. As for the benefits at work itself, these are also numerous. You’ll be working a 10-hour work day, whereas many around you may only be working eight. This means that you will have two hours at your disposal without interruptions from colleagues or emails from external parties, which is where higher productivity really comes into play. And if everyone is swamped or there’s a crazy deadline ahead, staff hours can be increased and overlapped during these high-stress times to get the job done, with more time off later as your award.
THE BAD
Many positions come with an increased risk of injuries or errors when working hours run on for too long, and such jobs aren’t suited for a compressed work week. There could be issues of insufficient supervision during the extended two hours, or understaffing if too many people are off on the same days. You might also struggle to schedule a meeting time that suits everyone, and some people’s concentration can dwindle with longer hours, resulting in more mistakes and even hindering productivity. Many businesses are also aware that some employees may take advantage of the system and begin to regularly work unauthorised overtime.
ASK YOUR BOSS
If you’ve carefully considered all your possibilities and have decided that the four-day work week is for you, you need to take the next step in broaching the topic with your boss or HR manager. Since it is such an uncommon practice, you can’t just demand this kind of flexible work time. You already know how it will benefit you and your family, but now you need to sit down and determine how it will benefit your employer. Create a concise written proposal where you outline how your new flexi hours will benefit the company, as well as the steps you will take not only to stay on top of your workload, but also communicate effectively with your boss, and not maintain but improve your productivity. Once you have done this, set up a time to meet with your boss to discuss your proposal. And make sure you don’t choose a day when they are stressed or on a deadline. From there, remember to state your facts clearly, answer questions confidently and keep the conversation honest and candid.
Words by Roxy Greef
Photography: Unsplash
