Is the 4-day Week Overrated?

Survey data from StandoutCV revealed that only 1.61% of advertised jobs offer four-day working weeks in the UK.

While the introduction of a four-day workweek is a positive step towards better work-life balance, the relatively low uptake in these statistics suggest that there is still a lot more work to be done to make these policies effective in practice.  

The low uptake of advertised four-day week roles suggests hesitancy from employers, rather than a lack of interest from workers. Concerns around productivity, operational challenges, and uncertainty about restructuring workloads may be holding organisations back. 

Rather than question if we should or shouldn’t be normalising these policies, it’s worth asking what else is needed to pad around these policies to make them easier for organisations to implement. This requires a broader approach that tackles the underlying challenges and equips managers with the essential skills to adapt job roles and team dynamics to accommodate different working schedules. 

With HR roles among the frontrunners for four-day week offerings, the profession shows that it can play a pivotal role in facilitating the transition to more flexible workplaces. But to really make work brilliant and help people thrive, HR leaders must go beyond just implementing the policy. 

It’s crucial for HR leaders to prioritise upskilling managers in areas such as empathy, effective communication, and practical strategies to manage flexible teams. These are essential for navigating the nuances of flexible working arrangements and fostering an inclusive environment where teams can collectively determine what works best for their specific circumstances while maintaining productivity.  

Ultimately, the success of four-day workweeks and other flexible work policies hinges on an organisation's ability to embed flexibility into its core values and empower its workforce to find the right balance between productivity and flexibility. 

Read the article here.