from the everybody's-workin'-for-the-three-day-weekend dept.
So-called "quiet quitting" could decrease if companies move to a four-day workweek:
According to an ongoing study in the UK, the four-day workweek may be the key to success for companies and their employees. The world's biggest four-day workweek trial included the participation of 61 British companies, some of whom now say they won't return to the regular Monday through Friday work schedule.
The study was conducted by scientists at the University of Cambridge alongside academics from Boston College in the U.S. from June through November last year. During that time, companies ranging from restaurants to banks rated the levels of productivity and performance. At the halfway point of the trial, 46% of companies said productivity remained about the same, 34% said they saw a slight improvement and 15% reported a significant improvement.
While shaving off a day of work seemed to increase overall well-being, there was also a reported increase in the pace of work. 62% of employees said they thought their pace of work increased, 36% thought it was the same, and just 2% felt their pace of work decreased. Although many employees reported having to work faster, the study said a majority of workers didn't believe there was a significant increase in their workloads.
Researchers also found a significant drop in the number of employees who left their positions and of the 2,900 workers observed in the study, more people reported they saw an increase in productivity, mental well-being, an increased work-life balance, and reduced levels of anxiety.
[...] The poll found the main cause for quiet quitting is the worldwide problem of stress and burnout. But not only did the UK report find this is less likely to happen when provided with the four-day workweek but by decreasing the workweek by one day, 70% of employees reported they had reduced levels of burnout and 40% said their sleep difficulty levels had improved.
Nearly half of the employees in the study reported an improvement in their mental health, while 37% noted an improvement in their physical health.
(Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Thursday February 23, @02:39PM (1 child)
Nice though the idea of a 4 day work week is, it doesn't address the biggest problems of the workplace. Unions aren't the best answer either, but they do at least confront the problem of the management trying to reduce the workers to little more than wage slaves to be brow beaten, bullied, and pushed. And derided for not being self-starters.
This sounds very much like research from the 19th century about the 40 hour work week. Showed that employees were more productive if work was limited to no more than that, and was instrumental in getting employers on board with the idea. In the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, before that standard was established, employers routinely pushed for workers to work crazy long hours, stuff like 12 to 16 hours a day, 6 or all 7 days of the week.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by aafcac on Thursday February 23, @04:05PM
I think it was usually 6, with the 7 the being church day. Which follows the older practice of working 7 days a week unless there was a holiday. That's probably part of why the Romans had so many festivals. There was only just about every week.
(Score: 5, Funny) by VLM on Thursday February 23, @03:08PM
Interesting they didn't mention the financials.
Instantly save 20% on your commute expenses, which also includes time.
Where I worked "overlap day" was Wednesday, everyone had to work Wednesday regardless of the rest of your schedule, so meaningless "look busy" meetings all had to be on Wednesday which means only one of the four working days could be ruined, so naturally productivity went up.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 23, @05:00PM
Even if it wasn't a full 4-day workweek, it could be something like 4-day week every other week. Even that would give extended weekend often enough, that it might work quite well.
There is no optimal for every situation, person and job, but more research need to be done to get closer to the optimal. If employers can get atleast the same results in shorter time, then it's a win-win for everyone. But obviously some employers are now crying about more hours needing to be done, instead of actually understanding the possible win-win situation.
Personally i sure could use a 4-day workweek. Maybe i could be brought back.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 23, @07:42PM (1 child)
We still have to demand the six hour workday to go with that four day workweek. Then you run four shifts. Somebody's gonna have to get up in the middle of the night
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 24, @04:01AM
Let an AI run the night shift. They never get anything useful done anyway(grin).