The debate about the four-day week
Improved work-life balance thanks to Fridays off?
28 March, 2022 by
The debate about the four-day week
manaTec GmbH, Sophia Grünig
 


As early as 1930, the British economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that in 100 years people would be working only 15 hours a week.

This idea does not correspond to reality in 2022, but the idea of restructuring and possibly even reducing working hours is being discussed in many countries.

As recently as mid-February of this year, the Belgian government agreed on the legal right to a four-day week. The intention behind this is more flexibility and freedom for employees in terms of a better work-life balance, according to Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Employees can decide whether they want to work four or five days.

Many German employees are in favor of a four-day week.
Many German employees are in favor of a four-day week.

The idea of a four-day week also meets with enthusiasm in Germany: according to a Forsa survey, 71 percent of respondents would also like to see this option in Germany. The idea of a possible four-day week is most popular among employees with a higher level of education, especially among 30- to 45-year-old workers. An important role seems to be played by the desire to make it easier to reconcile family and career. The keyword here is work-life balance.

But what exactly can such a four-day week model look like and what advantages and disadvantages does it entail?

Two models in particular are currently being discussed in Germany. The first involves a four-day week with a constant number of hours. The agreed number of working hours is not reduced, only the number of working days per week. Thus, with a 40-hour week, the daily working time would increase from 8 to 10 hours. In the second model, the number of working days is reduced as well as the number of hours. The question of whether and by how much wages would fall if the number of hours were reduced is a particularly important issue for discussion. On this question, some point to an Icelandic experiment in which thousands of employees worked only 35 or 36 hours instead of 40 from 2015 to 2019 - with the same pay. Employee satisfaction increased significantly in the process, with no loss of productivity. However, companies surveyed are rarely willing to pay the same amount of money for less work.

The question of a possible change in wages will probably remain part of the discussion for a long time. What is undisputed, however, is the fact that a four-day week brings with it a great deal of potential.

The advantages for employees are clear: the extra day for private errands and commitments increases the likelihood that they will have more free time and thus a greater balance to the working week. Employee satisfaction increases as a result, which in turn tends to lead to decreased sick leave, greater stress resistance and also higher motivation.

Employers can also benefit from a four-day workweek: Experiments conducted by various companies found - contrary to what is often expected - that employee productivity increases as a result of a shortened workweek. As a result, a four-day workweek can provide significant competitive advantages for employers. It can also make employers more attractive to job applicants. Especially for younger applicants, the possibility of a four-day week can be a decisive criterion for the decision. Furthermore, it should not be ignored that the four-day week opens up the opportunity to rethink previous procedures and structures in the company.

In addition to the obvious advantages that can come with a four-day week, it is also important to consider the disadvantages. One major disadvantage for employees is potential financial loss. Although some companies are trying out the four-day week with full pay compensation, for most employers the model is only conceivable if they save on personnel costs. There is also a risk for employees that the longer working days will increase stress at work. If this leads to higher pressure and overtime, the hoped-for benefits for employees may not materialize. Productivity may then drop and sick leave may rise.

The four-day week can also demand a lot from employers. Restructuring and organization in particular can be a major challenge. For employers, the four-day week is therefore only worthwhile, according to many opinions, if the work performance of their employees at least remains the same. Otherwise, they are at a disadvantage compared to competitors.

Whether a four-day week can be successful therefore depends on its design. It definitely offers significant advantages and can lead to higher productivity, motivation and attractiveness of companies.

One thing is certain - the discussion about changes to our working models exists and will always remain part of the working world.


Sources: www.sueddeutsche.de, www.utopia.de, www.lebenslauf.net

 
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