4-day work week. Hot or not?

Juliet B. Schor, economist, and professor of sociology at Boston College, in her speech at TEDex, gives specific examples of companies that, without waiting for the results of large-scale pilot studies in the USA, Ireland, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, introduced the 4-day work week.

Six months of work in the new model reversed the trend of mass resignations and frequent dismissals for health reasons. Employees are happier, more mentally stable, and highly productive. Some CEOs talk about higher productivity than was the case with the 5-day model. Moreover, employees feel they belong to the workplace, companies’ revenues are growing, and customer satisfaction scores show extraordinary results.

Where is the secret hidden? In good work organization.

In return for a gift of an additional day off given by the employer, the employees are providing the highest engagement to complete the assigned tasks in a shorter time. Even though there is less time to work, it does not mean that employees work less.

In the attached photo I am spending my free Friday. Did I manage to complete all the tasks in 4 days? Yes, but I’ve been preparing for this shift for a couple of weeks. The transition to a 4-day working week is a process that will have a different dimension and preparation time for each company.

I am curious how many companies in Poland are testing this solution, or at least considering it?

Also, does this work model have a chance of successful implementation in the Polish labor market?

Monika Ciesielska
President at IMSA Search Global Partners. An experienced consultant in the recruitment of the management staff, including board members, and a leader of the recruiting team in the IT/Tech area. Enthusiast of digital transformation of HR processes. Podcaster at "Skrzydlaty HR" and "Top Leaders Club".
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