In today’s world, work-life balance continues to be a struggle for many employees. Increasing concerns about employees’ rights and the increasing reliance on technology in workplaces have created a shift where organizations and companies can survive with employees working fewer hours than before. The phenomenon has sparked the argument of the applicability of the four-day workweek where the working week concludes on Thursday evening. This paper reflects on the four-day workweek from an employer’s perspective. One less business day every week translates to lower sales, missed opportunities, disrupted schedules, and lower productivity for organizations.
It is crucial to note that the four-day workweek concept means that the hours lost during the off-day are compensated by being distributed among the other working days. According to Eisenberg (2015), the introduction of the four-day concept may see employees work ten or more hours per day; this may lead to exhaustion which may affect their capabilities to indulge in personal activities after work and even ruin their weekends. Since both approaches the five-day and four-day workweeks have employees work the same number of hours, employers should consider using the traditional approach where workers work for 8 hours, five days a week with more comfort.
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The introduction of the four-day workweek will also translate to lower sales and reduced productivity in companies in specific industries. Businesses will be adversely affected by the approach because numerous significant clients, transactions, and business activities may be missed by shutting down company operations on a weekday. A day’s business activities account for approximately a fifth of the week’s company operations. Therefore, the introduction of an additional off-day means that business is lost (Grosse, 2018). The negative impact of the four-day workweek has far-reaching consequences especially for companies in competitive industries. Some employers prefer the five-day workweek where business activities proceed as usual with few disruptions.
Numerous employers are also reluctant to adopt the four-day workweek approach because of its high risks (Grosse, 2018). Failure of employees to meet their work requirements is one risk associated with the concept; this was reported in the Netherlands during their two-year trial of the four-day workweek (Ellis, 2018). Another risk that discourages employers from using the strategy is the lack of ability of all industries and the lack of interest by some employees to participate in the reform. Some industries such as the healthcare sector require the presence of doctors and nurses around the clock. Essential workers such as those working in the transport industry, private businesses, energy, and child care may be unwilling to participate in the four-day workweek experiment.
In conclusion, one less business day every week translates to lower sales, missed opportunities, disrupted schedules, and lower productivity for organizations. A day’s business activities account for approximately a fifth of the week’s company operations. Therefore, the introduction of an additional off-day means that business is lost. The high risks associated with the concept, coupled with the fact that employees have to make up for the lost hours make the four-day workweek unpopular for employers.
References
Eisenberg, R. (2021). Why you should have a 4-Day Workweek . Market Watch. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-you-should-have-a-4-day-workweek-2015-10-14
Ellis, M. (2021). These are the Pros and Cons of a Four-Day Workweek . Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/90263366/4-day-work-week-advantages-and-disadvantages
Grosse, R. (2018). The Four-Day Workweek. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315164311
