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Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
200+ global companies swear by the 4-day work week: Here's why it's a win-win for employers and employees
For a workforce that constantly worships burnout and applauds employees who routinely trade their sleep and sanity to hit those "numbers," the four-day workweek is a dream come true. However, what if we told you that it's not just employees but employers who are reaping the benefits too? Yes, you read that right. A recent report by a renowned American newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, unearthed a survey that sheds light on gains at both ends. The study, which involved 245 businesses and more than 8,700 workers, revealed that even employers are profiting from the shift. The four-day workweek is not merely a pipe dream, it's a practical, data-backed antidote to an exhausted workforce. The transformative shift in work culture post-pandemic has peeled back long-standing assumptions, none more archaic than the five-day, 40-hour workweek. With mounting evidence that fewer workdays not only safeguard mental health but also fortify business outcomes, the world now stands at the threshold of a labour revolution. A system built for yesterday The five-day work week is considered to be a thing of the past, an obsolete strategy. Coined in the industrial age to stem factory fatigue, the model took root nearly a century ago when assembly lines, not algorithms, dictated the tempo of the work. However, talking of today's economy- fluid, digital, and mentally taxing is a far cry from Fordist factories. And yet, despite an unprecedented alteration in industry and lifestyle, the work calendar adamantly says 'no' to evolving. 'It's long overdue,' said Joe Ryle, campaign director of the UK-based 4 Day Week Campaign, told The Guardian that '9-5, the five-day working week was invented 100 years ago and is no longer fit for purpose. We are long overdue for an update.' The data doesn't lie Economist Juliet B. Schor of Boston College, lead researcher with 4 Day Week Global, recently studied over 245 organizations in countries including the US, UK, Brazil, and Ireland, that piloted a four-day workweek over the past three years mentioned the findings in The Wall Street Journal . The results were resounding: 70% of workers reported reduced burnout 40% noted improved mental health 37% experienced better physical health These pilots involved 8,700 employees globally and typically ran for six months. Most employers saw not just sustained productivity, but improved bottom-line metrics, including higher revenue and lower resignation rates. So persuasive were the outcomes that over 90% of companies that began trials in mid-2023 were still following the four-day workweek a year later (The Wall Street Journal, Source 1). The 100-80-100 model : A quiet revolution At the heart of the four-day week movement is the '100-80-100' model: Workers receive 100% of their pay for 80% of the time, while delivering 100% productivity. This model, championed by the global nonprofit 4 Day Week Global, originated in Germany in 2023 and has already shown success in Spain, Portugal, the UK, and parts of Scandinavia. The philosophy is not about working less, but about working smarter—eliminating unnecessary meetings, redesigning workflows, and aligning output with clear metrics. Tech companies have led the charge. Civo, a cloud computing firm, piloted a four-day week in 2020 and made it permanent by 2021. Similarly, Kickstarter, which adopted a four-day week in 2021, reported a 50% increase in employee engagement. What the workers want Despite resistance from some corporate walls, employees are decisively and strongly aligning toward this emerging reform. A LiveCareer survey conducted in January 2024 polled 1,130 American workers and found: 70% support a four-day week, even if it means working longer hours each day. The majority predicted higher productivity and better work-life balance as a result. In the UK, the movement has gone further: At least 200 companies have permanently adopted the model with no loss of pay. This includes firms across technology, marketing, consulting, social care, and NGOs, with 59 companies based in London alone. India: Overworked and overdue India has long championed overwork, with renowned business tycoons floating the 70-hour and 90-hour workweeks. A notion of a day work week seems to be a distant thought. No wonder, the country also reports the highest levels of job-related stress globally, and its large youth demographic is pushing back against burnout culture. If overlooked, this may lead to a talent exodus rather than an economic dividend. Unlike the UK, there is no formal policy initiative or widespread pilot in India yet. However, the global tide may soon touch the shores of the country. Whenever it does, the government and industries will be expected to equally shoulder the responsibility of maintaining equity across white-collar and blue-collar sectors. The real victory: A life beyond work To shrug off the four-day workweek as a 'privilege' is to fundamentally misunderstand its very purpose. It is not just about an extra day off. It is about bestowing people the time to volunteer, care for family, engage in community, and rediscover self-worth beyond paychecks. It is about restructuring work not to dominate life, but to nourish it. The five-day grind is not sacrosanct. It is a saga that tells the story of the past. The data is in, the benefits are tangible, and the demand is swelling. Perhaps the real progress can be weighed not in the hours we clocked in, but how wisely we choose to pause. 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Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Four day work week: Not just a worker's fond hope, but a surprising win for employers too
For a workforce that constantly worships burnout and applauds employees who routinely trade their sleep and sanity to hit those "numbers," the four-day workweek is a dream come true. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, what if we told you that it's not just employees but employers who are reaping the benefits too? Yes, you read that right. A recent report by a renowned American newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, unearthed a survey that sheds light on gains at both ends. The study, which involved 245 businesses and more than 8,700 workers, revealed that even employers are profiting from the shift. The four-day workweek is not merely a pipe dream, it's a practical, data-backed antidote to an exhausted workforce. The transformative shift in work culture post-pandemic has peeled back long-standing assumptions, none more archaic than the five-day, 40-hour workweek. With mounting evidence that fewer workdays not only safeguard mental health but also fortify business outcomes, the world now stands at the threshold of a labour revolution. A system built for yesterday The five-day work week is considered to be a thing of the past, an obsolete strategy. Coined in the industrial age to stem factory fatigue, the model took root nearly a century ago when assembly lines, not algorithms, dictated the tempo of the work. However, talking of today's economy- fluid, digital, and mentally taxing is a far cry from Fordist factories. And yet, despite an unprecedented alteration in industry and lifestyle, the work calendar adamantly says 'no' to evolving. 'It's long overdue,' said Joe Ryle, campaign director of the UK-based 4 Day Week Campaign, told The Guardian that '9-5, the five-day working week was invented 100 years ago and is no longer fit for purpose. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now We are long overdue for an update.' The data doesn't lie Economist Juliet B. Schor of Boston College, lead researcher with 4 Day Week Global, recently studied over 245 organizations in countries including the US, UK, Brazil, and Ireland, that piloted a four-day workweek over the past three years mentioned the findings in The Wall Street Journal . The results were resounding: 70% of workers reported reduced burnout 40% noted improved mental health 37% experienced better physical health These pilots involved 8,700 employees globally and typically ran for six months. Most employers saw not just sustained productivity, but improved bottom-line metrics, including higher revenue and lower resignation rates. So persuasive were the outcomes that over 90% of companies that began trials in mid-2023 were still following the four-day workweek a year later (The Wall Street Journal, Source 1). The 100-80-100 model : A quiet revolution At the heart of the four-day week movement is the '100-80-100' model: Workers receive 100% of their pay for 80% of the time, while delivering 100% productivity. This model, championed by the global nonprofit 4 Day Week Global, originated in Germany in 2023 and has already shown success in Spain, Portugal, the UK, and parts of Scandinavia. The philosophy is not about working less, but about working smarter—eliminating unnecessary meetings, redesigning workflows, and aligning output with clear metrics. Tech companies have led the charge. Civo, a cloud computing firm, piloted a four-day week in 2020 and made it permanent by 2021. Similarly, Kickstarter, which adopted a four-day week in 2021, reported a 50% increase in employee engagement. What the workers want Despite resistance from some corporate walls, employees are decisively and strongly aligning toward this emerging reform. A LiveCareer survey conducted in January 2024 polled 1,130 American workers and found: 70% support a four-day week, even if it means working longer hours each day. The majority predicted higher productivity and better work-life balance as a result. In the UK, the movement has gone further: At least 200 companies have permanently adopted the model with no loss of pay. This includes firms across technology, marketing, consulting, social care, and NGOs, with 59 companies based in London alone. India: Overworked and overdue India has long championed overwork, with renowned business tycoons floating the 70-hour and 90-hour workweeks. A notion of a day work week seems to be a distant thought. No wonder, the country also reports the highest levels of job-related stress globally, and its large youth demographic is pushing back against burnout culture. If overlooked, this may lead to a talent exodus rather than an economic dividend. Unlike the UK, there is no formal policy initiative or widespread pilot in India yet. However, the global tide may soon touch the shores of the country. Whenever it does, the government and industries will be expected to equally shoulder the responsibility of maintaining equity across white-collar and blue-collar sectors. The real victory: A life beyond work To shrug off the four-day workweek as a 'privilege' is to fundamentally misunderstand its very purpose. It is not just about an extra day off. It is about bestowing people the time to volunteer, care for family, engage in community, and rediscover self-worth beyond paychecks. It is about restructuring work not to dominate life, but to nourish it. The five-day grind is not sacrosanct. It is a saga that tells the story of the past. The data is in, the benefits are tangible, and the demand is swelling. Perhaps the real progress can be weighed not in the hours we clocked in, but how wisely we choose to pause.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Do you support the idea of a four-day working week? Have your say
Yahoo UK's poll of the week lets you vote and indicate your strength of feeling on one of the week's hot topics. After the poll closes, we'll publish and analyse the results each Friday, giving readers the chance to see how polarising a topic has become and if their view chimes with other Yahoo UK readers. Those wondering what it'd be like to work a four-day working week are having a little taste of it thanks to the Easter bank holiday weekend. Good Friday last week and Easter Monday has effectively meant many in the UK are enjoying two four-day weeks in a row. After an opportunity to rest, catch up on life admin, or spend quality time with friends and family, are you feeling more rested at work this week? Work-related burnout is on the rise across the world, to the extent where the World Health Organisation has described it as an occupational phenomenon "resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed". Many believe a four-day working week could be the answer to this problem, with a 2022 trial of 61 companies in the UK finding employee burnout decreased by 71%, while productivity remained stable or improved. This Bank Holiday, watch how the Sunday Scaries don't turn into the Monday you've had enough time to rest, and the week ahead is a manageable length, anxieties like that have no place to take root. — 4 Day Week Foundation (@4Day_Week) April 21, 2025 Recent figures from the 4 Day Week Foundation found that more than 200 UK companies have made the permanent switch to a four-day working week with no loss of pay. While many might instinctively think that fewer days of work would mean lower productivity, the non-profit organisation's campaign director, Joe Ryle, argues that by prioritising wellbeing, quality of life and mental health, some workers can actually get more done. 'A four-day week gives people the freedom to live happier, more fulfilling lives," he said, claiming the five-day working week model was 'invented 100 years ago and is no longer fit for purpose'. While the Labour government has said it supports flexible working - which could allow workers to "compress" their normal hours into four days - it has stopped short of supporting a four-day week. (In November, in fact, pensions minister Emma Reynolds dismissed requests by civil servants for a four-day working week, saying: "We are not living in the 1970s.") So what are some of the potential drawbacks? According to academics from the University of Surrey writing in The Conversation, compressed hours can potentially lead to greater stress. "There is strong evidence that longer work hours result in more errors and accidents. Long work hours are also linked to poorer decision-making and make it more likely people will have an accident on their drive home," they write. There is also concern that compressed hours leads to "compressed sleep" - in which workers "accentuate" irregular sleep habits to accommodate a four-day week, with negative impacts on their health. But what do you think? Is a four-day working week realistic, and do you support the idea? Let us know in the polls below: Do you think a four-day working week would make you more productive at work? Is your workplace already trying it out? Or would it be unworkable in your industry? Come back on Friday to read the results and analysis via the link below. Read more of Yahoo UK's Poll of the Week articles
The Independent
11-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Labour MPs call for four-day week as part of workers' rights package
More than a dozen MPs have called for a four-day working week to be considered by ministers as part of a new set of workers rights rules. The MPs, 12 of whom are Labour and one of whom is from the Green Party, want the Government to set up a body to look into bringing in a four-day week across the economy. A four-day working week with no loss of pay is becoming more popular in the UK. More than 200 companies in January confirmed they had made the switch to the shortened work pattern permanently. The majority of the companies said their employees work 32 hours a week or less over the course of a week. Data shows that working four days leads to greater productivity than five Proponents of the new working pattern say people are happier and less likely to suffer from burnout when they work fewer days. Peter Dowd, the Labour MP who put forward the amendment, said that with things like artificial intelligence enabling people to work more efficiently, the benefits 'must be passed back to workers'. 'A four-day, 32-hour working week is the future of work and I urge my party to back this amendment so we can begin a much wider transition.' Maya Ellis, Labour MP for Ribble Valley, said: 'Data shows that working four days leads to greater productivity than five. 'That means in public organisations for example, that we can get through a higher volume of tasks, creating the increase in capacity we so desperately need to see in our public services.' The amendment points to the growing popularity for less onerous working patterns but comes at a time when large corporations are forcing their employees to return to the office full-time. As hundreds of British companies and one local council have already shown, a four-day week with no loss of pay can be a win-win for both workers and employers Joe Ryle, 4 Day Week Foundation US investment bank JP Morgan and tech giant Amazon have demanded staff come back to the office every day despite having allowed hybrid working patterns for the last five years since the Covid-19 pandemic. And former Asda and Marks & Spencer chief executive Lord Stuart Rose claimed earlier in January that remote working does not amount to 'proper work'. The 4 Day Week Foundation's campaign, by contrast, aims to promote people's wellbeing over hours spent at work. Joe Ryle, campaign director of the 4 Day Week Foundation, said: 'Compressing the same amount of hours into four days rather than five is not the same thing as a true four-day working week. 'What is missing from the Bill is a commitment to explore a genuinely shorter working week which we know workers desperately want. 'As hundreds of British companies and one local council have already shown, a four-day week with no loss of pay can be a win-win for both workers and employers.'
Express Tribune
29-01-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
UK set to adopt four-day workweek with 200 firms onboard
Listen to article In a landmark shift towards modernizing Britain's working culture, 200 companies across the UK have committed to a permanent four-day working week for all their employees, without any loss of pay. This new milestone in the ongoing campaign to reinvent the UK's working week sees over 5,000 workers in various sectors, including charities, marketing, and technology firms, benefiting from the change. The four-day workweek movement, spearheaded by the 4 Day Week Foundation, has garnered significant support as proponents argue that the traditional 9-to-5, five-day workweek is outdated. Joe Ryle, the campaign director, highlighted that the five-day workweek, which dates back over a century, no longer serves today's economic needs. "We are long overdue an update," he said, adding that a shorter working week offers '50% more free time,' enabling employees to lead happier, more fulfilling lives. A diverse range of industries has backed the move, with marketing, advertising, and public relations firms leading the charge—30 companies in this sector have adopted the policy. Additionally, 29 organizations from the charity, NGO, and social care sectors, and 24 technology and IT firms have also signed on. In total, 59 London-based companies are driving the initiative, representing a growing trend in the capital. Supporters argue that the shift to a four-day week benefits both employees and employers, improving employee satisfaction, productivity, and retention. The policy has already been embraced by firms as an effective way to attract top talent and optimize performance without extending work hours. However, the shift to shorter workweeks highlights the growing divide over working patterns. While the UK embraces flexible work structures, many companies, especially in the US, have enforced a return to the office, with firms like JPMorgan Chase and Amazon demanding employees work five days a week in person. Similarly, Lloyds Banking Group is reportedly assessing whether senior staff are meeting office attendance targets for annual bonuses. Despite resistance from some quarters, support for a four-day workweek continues to grow among younger workers, with a survey by Spark Market Research revealing that 78% of 18-34-year-olds believe a four-day workweek will become the norm within five years. Many in this age group also prioritize mental health and overall wellbeing, viewing a shorter working week as a key benefit for a better work-life balance. The UK's evolving work culture has also caught the attention of senior political figures. Several Labour party members, including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, have voiced their support for the four-day week, though the party has not yet fully adopted the policy. Some speculate this hesitance is due to concerns over the political ramifications if the policy were to be embraced too soon.
