Returning to work as before the arrival of Covid-19 will take time. A little because of the, albeit few, restrictions still in place, a little because of the resistance of some to wanting to return to the offices, but also because our perspective on work has changed (almost) radically.
The pandemic has led to an inevitable increase in flexibility in the workplace and has simultaneously highlighted the problems of stress and burnout caused by overwork, not to mention the crisis and unemployment.
For many, the recovery from an unprecedented crash and deep recession has thus become theopportunity to make a change that could otherwise take many more years. And it is in this wake that more and more people propose to reduce the work week to four days.
Shortening the standard workweek is not a completely new concept, however it has only gained ground in recent years, becoming a more popular practice since the arrival of the coronavirus. And among the states to implement this change now there is also the United Kingdom.
The Scottish government, in fact, will lead the way in the country, introducing a four-day working week for the first time. It is a move that 9 out of 10 Scottish Government employees support, with the union PCS – among the largest in the UK – which states that implementing the changes will show workers the possibility of a better post-pandemic future.
The move by the Scottish Parliament is fully supported by the citizens. Indeed, according to a new survey, published by the think tank IPPR Scotland, 80% of the workers surveyed support the introduction of a four-day work week.
In the research, which examined the responses of more than 2 thousand people aged between 16 and 65, it emerged that this reduction, without any alteration in salary, would have “a positive effect on well-being”, and two-thirds of respondents (65%) believe that a shorter workweek could also “increase productivity”.
The survey also found that 88% of workers would be willing to take part in the experimental pilot project organized by the Scottish Parliament. However, IPPR Scotland he said the government should expand this project to include all sectors of the economy.
Rachel Statham, ricercatrice senior all’IPPR Scotland, said: ‘The Scottish government is right to experiment with a four-day work week because today’s research shows that it is a practice that has enormous public support, and that it could be a positive step towards building an economy. wired for wellness. But any successful post-Covid transition must include all types and places of work».
In response, a Scottish government spokesman added that: “The pandemic has served to intensify interest and support for more flexible working practices, including a move to a four-day work week. Reducing hours per week could help create new jobs and improve employee well-being. We are in the early stages of building a £ 10 million pilot project which will help companies explore the benefits and costs of moving to a four-day work week. Such a project will allow us to develop a better understanding of the implications of this practice, with the short-term goal of promote a shorter work week across the country».
In Scotland, the government is only the latest institution to consider a four-day work week. Indeed, the Glasgow-based packaging company UPAC Group recently confirmed that all employees would be transferred to a four-day workweek with the same salary after a fully successful probationary period. So also for the construction company Orocco, based in Edinburgh. A shorter working week could therefore soon become a reality across the UK.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A FOUR DAY WORK WEEK? WHICH OBSTACLES?
Finding and achieving a work-life balance has always been a very difficult undertaking. This is because we often work harder than we think and what is required of us. A Research, conducted byWHO in collaboration with theInternational Labour Organization, found that 488 million people around the world work what is considered too long; that is more than 55 hours per week.
This was the work culture that characterized our lives until the arrival of Covid-19. But the recent pandemic has questioned our approach to work, making us realize how smart-working can be the answer to our problems.
According to various researches, a four-day work week has many benefits. First, reducing working hours means also reduce the stress level of employees: Being able to enjoy shorter hours will make it easier to have a better work-life balance and more personal time out of the office. Providing employees with the ability to work fewer hours will allow them to spend quality time with their families and loved ones, and this increases job satisfaction levels.
Having less stressed and happier employees can help increase productivity. Indeed, data shows that those who work fewer hours per week tend to be more productive than their overworked counterparts. There Society for Human Resource Management reports that the 60% of organizations using a four-day workweek experienced increased employee productivity. Furthermore, this practice increases employee engagement and motivation to remain committed to their duties and loyal to the company.
Despite the many benefits, introducing a four-day workweek is no easy feat. There are indeed some practical and ideological barriers that slow down change; especially for those companies that depend on solid customer service. In this case, for example, a four-day work week can negatively impact customer satisfaction if it fails to reach support staff quickly.
NOT ONLY IN THE UK, THIS IS WHERE YOU WORK 4 DAYS A WEEK
Before the pandemic, just over a hundred companies around the world had experienced a shorter workweek. This practice was mainly implemented in South Korea e Japan, two countries whose languages ​​have invented words that translate as “death from too much work”. Also in New Zeland, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had proposed the four-day week as an option to promote domestic tourism and help workers find a better work-life balance.
However, now more and more states have adopted reduced hours. In Europe, for example, almost all Northern countries have experimented with this practice, with very promising results.
In Iceland, the four-day work week experiment – already tested since 2015 – was a great success: productivity has increased or remained unchanged but worker satisfaction has increased. There Finland gave its employees the ability to shift working hours according to their lifestyle, being able to start, or complete, their responsibilities up to three hours before or three hours after standard hours. There SwedenInstead, it approved six-hour workdays, while maintaining the compensation level of an eight-day. In Denmark contracts have been introduced which provide for a maximum of 33 hours per week.
In Italy there are still few initiatives in this regard, but we are confident that the successful interaction of this practice, and the new working needs brought about by Covid-19, will also lead the companies of our beautiful country to decide to reduce working hours.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
