The Pros and Cons of a Four-Day Workweek for Employee Wellbeing

Working four days rather than five is now considered a promising way to promote employee wellbeing within organizations. Working one more day per week allows employees to have some extra time either for rest, family, private duties, or simply for doing fewer things during a hectic week. However, a reduced workweek does not guarantee a positive influence on employees' wellbeing.

Whether or not a four-day workweek will contribute to improved employee wellbeing depends on the particular schedule of work. If the employee has enough time off and manageable workloads, the schedule may be positively associated with the mentioned benefits. Otherwise, if an employee needs to do the same workload in fewer days, it can lead to increased workload and stress. It is, however, critical to consider the pros and cons of the discussed solution before implementing it within organisations.

Pros of a Four-Day Workweek for Employee Wellbeing

Better Work-Life Balance

The first advantage of a four-day workweek is the availability of one additional day that does not have to be spent working. The additional day can allow employees to perform other commitments and engagements that cannot be done during regular working hours.

Therefore, the additional day can be used for performing household duties, attending appointments, or doing other personal stuff that employees cannot take care of at the end of the workday because it is already too late. In that way, a four-day workweek can contribute to better separation between professional and private obligations, allowing workers to have a free day and not combine their work and private life on the same day. For those employees who have many responsibilities in their lives aside from working, this will be especially important.

More Time for Relaxation and Recovery

Recovery is one aspect of wellness that cannot be overlooked. Employees must have time to get away from work and relax both physically and psychologically, especially when they require concentration and emotional labor.

Another day away from work can mean more time to have real recovery days. They can have enough rest, sleep, spend time out in nature, engage in their hobbies, or take a break from all the pressures that come with work. This can be effective only if it does not bring any work responsibilities along. More recovery time can be useful during the return from holiday, especially when employees have limited time between their personal and professional lives.

Lower Work-Related Stress

Adopting a four-day working week could lower the stress levels of employees in activities that are not associated with work per se. The additional free day could help employees allocate enough time for other matters that would normally clash with work.

For instance, one might be able to allocate sufficient time for personal errands and other issues without having to squeeze them in within the framework of the five-day working week. However, the reduction in stress levels will depend on how much work is involved.

Greater Job Satisfaction and Motivation

The experience of one's working schedule can affect how satisfied people are with their work. Having control over personal time can lead to increased satisfaction with the whole employment.

Having one more day to spend outside of work can help employees realize that they have enough time to dedicate to activities and social relations which are important for them. It can help them feel better integrated into life outside work. For some employees, having an additional day that is going to be spent outside of work can act as motivation during their working days.

More Time for Personal Wellbeing

The wellbeing of an employee is not only about reducing stress levels. People require time for activities promoting physical, emotional, mental, and social wellbeing as well. Having one more day will allow employees to engage in physical exercise, spend time on hobbies, develop social contacts, be outdoors, attend personal appointments, or practice whatever else employees have no time for during their standard work week.

The extra time will allow engaging in activities without the constant feeling that all the time which does not involve work must be spent efficiently. This time itself is important for employees who need an opportunity to unwind.

Cons of a Four-Day Workweek for Employee Wellbeing

Longer or More Intense Workdays

One of the major drawbacks of the four-day work week is what happens on those days when the worker is at work. Some employers may require their employees to keep the working schedule unchanged, which means longer workdays.

Such working days tend to exhaust employees, especially those who are busy anyway. With longer days spent at work, employees will feel too tired to perform various household chores, exercise, socialize, or do anything else. In this way, the positive effect of the extra day for relaxation might be offset by exhausting four workdays.

Increased Work Pressure

Shortening the working week could result in difficulties because the reduced number of working days does not mean a reduction in the number of tasks, meetings, or deadlines for employees to meet. In this regard, the shortened workweek could transform the four-day working week into a race against time.

Instead of having more time for themselves and achieving higher levels of wellbeing, employees would rush through all activities during working days. The point is not only in the number of working days, but it is also important to ensure that the workloads and expectations are reasonable. The four-day working week will not contribute to wellbeing if employees keep feeling that there is not enough time to fulfill all the tasks.

Difficulty Disconnecting From Work

The additional day of not being at work doesn't imply that employees will be disconnected from work. Communication, emails, phone calls, and unfinished work are likely to continue after the regular time frame of work.

If employees feel obliged to check for new information or finish some assignments during this day of rest, it is unlikely to provide any benefit. It is crucial not only physically but also psychologically to get disconnected from work. This means that employees should have the possibility to detach from work in order to make the shorter work week healthy for them.

Reduced Flexibility for Some Employees

While a four-day system may seem appealing, there is no guarantee that it will be equally suitable for all workers. It may lead to certain problems for workers who are responsible for children or have another caregiver, lack transportation options, or face other challenges.

Thus, an employee might value the extra day off but find the later end of the remaining four days problematic. Or another employee might like the conventional schedule more because of their personal or family considerations. That is why the overall welfare of an employee should also be taken into account.

Team and Workload Challenges

On the other hand, a shortened work week can cause difficulties if staff members' schedules vary and people need to coordinate their activities. If teamwork is not properly arranged, problems with communication and extra stress can emerge.

The problem of uneven workload can arise when some people need to perform additional tasks because of scheduling. The solution to the problem of implementing a shortened workweek is thus related to the issues of workload and team cooperation.

When Can a Four-Day Workweek Support Employee Wellbeing?

A four-day workweek tends to be favorable for employee wellbeing when such a system offers genuine recovery periods rather than just the compression of workload into fewer days. Workloads should correspond to the period of working time. An employee should not be required to do an excessive workload just because there is one less working day at the office.

The working time is also essential here. While some employees may handle long workdays, too many workdays can result in exhaustion. In order to favor wellbeing, both the number of working days and their intensity should be taken into account. Boundaries should also be clearly defined. Employees should know what time corresponds to working hours and what time does not correspond to them.

However, flexibility can help as well. When possible, companies need to take into account various perceptions of employees and the possibility of changes that will make the schedule more realistic. In general, the main goal of the four-day work week is not to try to fit five days of work within four, regardless of any consequences. Instead, the company needs to develop a sustainable work schedule in which employees would be able to perform efficiently and have enough time for relaxation.

Conclusion

A good working week of four days and the wellbeing of employees may be positively related; however, this relation will depend on the organization of such work. One extra day off may increase opportunities for leisure, doing household chores, spending time with the family, having fun, etc., which is all very much related to the overall wellbeing of individuals. This will also contribute to better work-life balance and satisfaction from work.

At the same time, longer workdays, high workload, inability to leave work, and other similar issues may reduce these positive consequences. Shorter working weeks are not necessarily healthier working weeks.

The main thing is whether the workers have manageable workloads, work time, and proper time off. Under such circumstances, a working week of four days may become more than just a new schedule and may turn into a working week that is healthy for employees.

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