A 4-day working week
2,500 employees in Iceland - a number which accounts for about 1% of all employees in the country, took part in tests between 2015 and 2019 to see if a 4-day working week with the same salary actually works. The results were unanimous - comparable or even greater productivity of the participating workers was noticed. Similar experiments which will last for a total of three years are currently taking place in 200 companies in Spain. The matter of occupational hygiene is becoming more and more popular and legally regulated - in Portugal, for instance, it is forbidden to contact employees on professional matters outside of their working hours.
The idea of a four-day working week is based on the same pay for fewer hours of work. You can reduce a number of working days in a week from 5 to 4 or just work 5 days but 6 hours a day. What for?
The main advantage mentioned by the supporters of this idea is, above all, a beneficial effect on the mental health of employees. A longer weekend means more time to rest and "recharge the batteries" but also creates the possibility of more effective balance between work, private and family life. All this contributes to a better well-being of an employee and consequently increases one’s motivation to work, enhances creativity as well as lowers the risk of burnout. Such a solution also forces the entire organization to use time wisely by, for example, shortening the duration of meetings and limiting the number of people present there. Some of the companies which have not implemented the 4-day workweek try to take care of their employees' well-being differently and offer „lazy” Fridays. Employees may spend them on less engaging activities, weekly summaries, training, etc.
Still, it is worth knowing that this solution may not be suitable for every company or industry. Before introducing such a change it is crucial to ensure good relations with our customers and let them know the company does not work on Fridays :)
Sources:
https://tvn24.pl/biznes/z-kraju/czterodniowy-tydzien-pracy-pracownicy-pracowali-mniej-ale-lepiej-pomysl-testowany-byl-takze-w-polsce-5400051
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericaarielfox/2021/12/01/4-day-work-weeks-are-here-the-life-work-revolution-is-real/?sh=563a86d63f13
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-57724779
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