With an increasing number of studies and experiments being conducted to trace the impact of longer weekends on job satisfaction, work productivity and corporate costs, the world seems to be heading toward four-day work weeks faster than anticipated.
The first instance of shorter weeks took place in the 1920s when technological advancements allowed businesses to adopt five-day work weeks without jeopardizing production rates after decades of six-day weeks.
Today, the latest trend of having even fewer workdays can actually result in better performance and higher productivity, according to simulations.
Over the last few years, many companies around the world have experimented with a three-day weekend, reporting happier, more productive workers, and a drop in overall costs.
While the Netherlands grants its workers the shortest work week in the world with 29 hours a week, several companies have resorted to four-day weeks as a means to better manage their business and to allow their employees a higher-quality of life.
In July 2018, New Zealand's trust management company Perpetual Guardian declared results of its two-month trial, in which their 250 employees had the chance to work for four days a week, but got paid for five.
The trial findings included happier and more loyal workers and a lower turnover rate which saved the company extra labor costs.
Perpetual Guardian also talked about stress levels among employees dropping from 45% to 38%, while higher engagement levels were achieved amongst staff, highlighting that the company witnessed no negative impact on productivity.
Perpetual Guardian's CEO Andrew Barnes did not only recommend a permanent schedule change to his board but also launched an NGO titled 4 Day Week Global with the mission of drawing attention to the positive impact of a four-day work week on workers' health and businesses success.
In August 2019, Microsoft Japan announced that it had just completed a pilot project called Work-Life Choice Challenge Summer 2019, in which it gave its 2300 employees the chance to work for only four days a week with no changes to their pay.
The company reported a productivity jump of 40%, explaining that workers put more effort into having shorter yet more efficient meetings, while eliminating unnecessary activities and distractions.
In his statement on their website, Microsoft Japan's president and CEO Takuya Hirano concluded: "Work a short time, rest well and learn a lot."
Not only did Microsoft's trial result in happier workers, but it also helped business owners achieve greater goals and spend less on regular costs. For example, employees took 25% fewer leaves, while electricity use decreased by 23%. Also, staff members printed 59% fewer pages of paper during the trial.
Elektra Lighting, Think Productive and Portcullis Legals are UK businesses that have already switched to a four-day week.
Recently, the new young Finnish Prime Minister announced plans to follow a four-day work week with six hours shifts, as the world seems more convinced of the need for longer weekends.
Sanna Marin, who is 34 years-old, backed a suggestion of a 24-hour work week schedule, highlighting the Finnish people's need for a better work-life balance and stressing their need to have more time to spend with their family members. Marin also pointed out that fewer working days a week can result in fewer carbon emissions, road congestion, and pollution.
Apparently, working fewer days a week can contribute to workers enjoying better physical and mental health. Research conducted in Australia suggested that working for more than 25 hours a week has a serious negative impact on cognitive performance, especially in terms of memory and intelligence-related abilities.
In the Arabian Gulf states, labor laws still allow a maximum of 48 hours of work a week, except for Saudi Arabia where only a maximum of 40-hours a week is stated by law.
It would take not only a legal shift but also a cultural one for Gulf-based businesses to experiment with reduced work hours, where competitive young professionals are often pressured to work very late, sometimes on a regular basis.
But findings from various experiments across the globe showing better results for both business owners and employees, suggest that a four-day work week without change to employees' incomes may be worth a try for companies that care to boost productivity and keep their top talents happy and loyal.
