Are You Ready for the Four-Day Workweek?

It may sound revolutionary, but the four-day workweek is a very real adoption that many companies are experimenting with. So the question is, how could this affect you?

History of the workweek

The COVID-19 pandemic may have been a catalyst for the move, but the idea of changing the length of a workweek is not new. In fact, in 1890, the US government found that the average workweek for manufacturing employees was approximately 100 hours.

Henry Ford introduced the 40-hour workweek (without reducing wages) in 1926, albeit for less than altruistic reasons – more time off work meant people had time to go shopping, thus profiting companies. Or, in his words,

Leisure is an indispensable ingredient in a growing consumer market because working people need to have enough free time to find uses for consumer products, including automobiles.

Henry Ford

Whatever his motive, it certainly became the norm. In 1940, the 40-hour workweek became the law in the US. So, where does this leave us today?

Benefits of the four-day work week

First, let’s see how effective shortening the workweek might be.

One of the most productive countries in the world, Norway, also boasts the third-lowest average workweek in the world. They also place a high value on work-life balance, prioritizing family over work. This is very different from the United States, which ranks sixth in productivity and has a significantly higher number of hours worked per week – indicating that a longer workweek does not translate to higher productivity. 

In fact, a shorter workweek may even benefit the environment! According to a study conducted by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, spending just 10% less time working could reduce our carbon footprint by 14.6%. 

Since this is primarily due to cutting down on commuting and high-carbon snacks, it could be argued that working remotely has the same impact – but surprisingly, this may not be the case. Adding in factors like energy used to run heaters or air conditioners shows that workers who utilize public transport or drive less than four miles to work could actually increase their total carbon emissions by working from home.

How common is the shorter workweek?

It’s hard to read about a four-day workweek without running across New Zealand-based trust company Perpetual Guardian, which implemented the shortened work week and saw a 20% increase in productivity, 27% reduction in work stress levels, and a 45% increase in work-life balance. 

Microsoft Japan tested the four-day workweek while compensating workers for the five days and saw an incredible 40% boost in productivity and a decrease in electricity costs by 23%.

As mentioned in a recent CNBC article, this is something that several other well-known companies are trying:

One company taking part is Kickstarter, where chief strategy officer Jon Leland says piloting a shorter workweek is a next logical move after it became a fully remote company last year. Leland says a lot of companies will think moving to a shorter workweek requires a top-down approach, when really he believes getting it right requires a grassroots effort. Managers have to be clear what their priorities and expectations are, but then workers and teams should feel empowered to figure out how to work more efficiently, like by reducing meetings and figuring out what tasks can be automated or eliminated.”

What do employees want?

According to a study by Qualtrics, a whopping 92% of US employees surveyed want a four-day workweek, with 79% saying it would improve their mental health and 82% believing it would increase their productivity. 

So who’s doing it already? If you’re looking for a new job, a four-day workweek may be on your list of priorities. Here are some companies who are currently offering or experimenting with a shorter workweek:

And while many of these may have offices and positions in Chicago, we have to shine a spotlight on those that are near and dear to our city and offer a four-day workweek:

Basecamp offers a four-day workweek during summer and has been doing so since 2008 – well before many others jumped on board.

Financial technology firm TopStep offers an optional four-day workweek or half-day Fridays.

And finally, car insurance startup Clearcover offers Focus Fridays, a day free of meetings to focus on what’s important to their employees.