Enacting a Four-Day Work Week to Increase Production and Efficiency
Many businesses have started to utilize a four day work week. Variations of this schedule have been put into place to keep 40 hr weeks but over the span of four days, effectively allowing more work to be accomplished in less days. The four day work week is beneficial to productivity, Workplace development, and job satisfaction. Colleges and universities should take notice to these benefits and consider how the advantages seen in the workplace will correlate in the classroom and among university employees.
Employees who work four days a week have greater productivity at work, more time at home, and higher job satisfaction than those who work a traditional five day work week. Reports from all variations of the four day schedule have been overwhelmingly positive from employees and business owners. Perhaps the most famous and intensive study on four day work week was on the Perpetual Guardian trust in New Zealand. They used a 32 hour week model and did not change their employees pay. Their trial run of the new schedule was studied by University of Auckland Business School. These are their findings. When discussing more time at home, “Many reported a satisfaction with accomplishing these personal tasks, and this feeling spilled over to the workplace as an overarching feeling of motivation and productivity.” Workplace productivity? One Auckland interviewee stated “We looked at everything we did really and said do we need to be doing this, is this productive” (Auckland). The Perpetual Guardian study was considered a success by the company and Auckland.
Each had few negative comments on the trial and the whole study left nearly all employees happier. During the trial it appears that happiness has a direct effect on productivity. The more satisfied employees were at home the more productive they become when at work. Shortening the work week also encouraged employees to analyze their everyday tasks to make them more efficient and to eliminate unneeded task. This model works well in the workplace, but how well would it work in other environments such a as schools? Some schools have already tested a four day work week. Research involving its implementation on colleges is limited. The effects of a four day work week such as making workdays more efficient, would also be seen at a college. Employees of the institution would utilize their time at work more effectively and students would make the most of their time in classroom. Students would also find it advantageous to have more time to relax and relieve stress from the difficulty of college curriculum. Mental health has been an increasing concern to colleges across the nation; four day work weeks might be the answer to their concerns.
Of course, by moving to a four-day work week, we must create a discussion on how that plays into schooling. It would make the most sense to have schools on the same scheduling system, simply so that students are prepared for life after school, much like the current situation. But an issue arises at the elementary and high school levels. In Hawaii, schools moved to a four-day week back in 2009 in order to cut costs. However, the typical work week in Hawaii is still five days, causing an issue for parents. (Where will kids stay/go on Fridays?) College campuses should adopt a similar schedule so as to ease the stress of students while improving the production by allowing for longer weekends to work. Then the debate shifts again, wondering how classes will be affected. Classes can be lengthened to cover the same amount of time. For instance, here at Wabash, the MWF schedule would need to take on the TTH schedule, so the entire curriculum would need to be overhauled, as well as staff, faculty, and other work schedules related to the campus. But the payoff could be massive, improving the health of students while allowing for extra time to study, do homework, or even relax with their extra day off.
The four day work week for academia would without a doubt bare fruit that would pay off exceptionally. The opposition claims that the adjustment would be too daunting a task to pull off. We say it is well worth the time, effort, and money to turn the standard full work to just four days for academics. The happiest countries on Earth deemed by the United Nations, have reduced work weeks. There is a correlation here, and having a happy institution makes for a better more efficient group that will spread their contagious work ethic in the workforce. Over time the four day school week would be cost friendly as well, due to the less pay for time. The time given with an extension to the weekend will be spent by the students recharging their batteries and better managing their time. This allows the opportunity for success and would boosts the colleges over sense of pride. The opposition cannot put a price on that. The potential that the four day school week brings is unlimited. Those who argue against changing the rigorous schedule of the college week, don’t focus on the everlasting improvements this change would have on society. This small ‘ripple’ would lead to a tidal wave of change in the future. Students would be saving 36 days on this new schedule, and that time is immeasurable in possibility.
Each year, the United Nations develops an report that measures happiness by country, conveniently named the ‘World Happiness Report.’ The nations that rank within the top five in terms of happiness are as follows: The Netherlands, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. The fascinating part of this study is that it opens our eyes to look at trends, so as to see what is leading to happier populations. Each of these five countries experience some variation of shortened work schedule as compared to the rest of the world, with an emphasis on work-life balance. Three of these countries (The Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark) experience the shortest work weeks in the entire world. In each case, workers either work fewer hours a day, a week, or a year, and are given more vacation time. Now, that is not insignificant. This correlation between work-life balance and general population happiness seems to suggest that work has an enormous impact on the overall lifestyle of humans. So how can that affect college campuses? College students are up to their necks in homework, classes, and extracurricular activities. Providing an extra day off to catch up on work will do wonders for the general happiness on college campuses. By instituting this type of schedule, college students will be relieved of a portion of their stress, which would improve the overall mental health on campuses. From this view, this is a no-brainer type of systematic change.
There are those few that argue the four day work week is ineffective. The academic structure is hardened in their routine. It has been this way for almost a century, and to forego would be a serious issue. An issue that would not be an easy would to solve. This work around of having a four day work would take time and money. And that adjustment isn’t worth the cash that would be involved in doing so, some would argue. Less day also means a less need for professors and teachers. Why pay a teacher when they aren’t necessary?, Is a question that the opposition asks. The four day work week as mentioned earlier boosts productivity and efficiency. Because of this the merits of such a schedule overturn the risks of the four day class timetable. The money spent in changing the standard schedule of students would be the best benefit towards their education. They would able to have room to breathe in a constant stressful environment and be more readily able to adapt. Long term this would save money rather than lose it. Overall theses students would be going into the workforce with a better work ethic and higher rate of proficiency. Less time for courses means more time to look further into the problem solving of ideas and having a stronger understanding material given. Happier people leads to a happier and better society in general. This of course would lead to a better quality of life. The benefits of the four day work week of incalculable. There are too many reasons not to implement this brilliant strategy. Please allow the four day work week in college and other academic settings.
Works Cited
Auckland, Business School. Perpetual Guardian’s 4-Day Workweek Trial: Qualitative Research Analysis.static1.squarespace.com/static/5a93121d3917ee828d5f282b/t/5b4e425c8a922dd864bd18d0/1531855454772/Final+Perpetual+Guardian+report_Dr+Helen+Delaney_July+2018.pdf.
Graham-mclay, Charlotte. “A 4-Day Workweek? A Test Run Shows a Surprising Result.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 19 July 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/world/asia/four-day-workweek-new-zealand.html.
Newsday. “World Happiness Report 2019: See the World’s 19 Happiest Countries,” Newsday. 12 Apr. 2019. https://www.newsday.com/news/world/world-happiness-report-2019-1.29677241. Accessed 13 Apr. 2019.
Wright, David. “Hawaii Starts 4-Day School Week to Cut Costs,” ABC News. 23 Oct. 2009. https://abcnews.go.com/WN/hawaii-day-school-week-ease-recession-woes/story?id=8894574. Accessed 10 Apr. 2019.
