![\"Rise-of-the-Four-Day-Work-Week---Instant-Offices\"](\"https:\/\/www.instantoffices.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Rise-of-the-Four-Day-Work-Week-Instant-Offices.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/h2>\nFour-Day Work Weeks Around the World<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\nEurope:<\/strong> Multiple countries in Europe have been experimenting with the four-day work week. European countries also have some of the shortest average working hours worldwide, with the shortest as follows:<\/p>\n\n- Germany: 26.37<\/li>\n
- Netherlands: 27.29<\/li>\n
- Norway: 27.38<\/li>\n
- Denmark: 28.02<\/li>\n
- France: 28.50<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The United States:<\/strong> Workers in the USA tend to work longer hours on average than their continental counterparts – but some employers in the States are also recognising the benefits of a four-day working week.<\/p>\nSince 2016, Amazon has offered some of its employees the chance to work a 30-hour week, although this is done at a reduced salary.<\/p>\n
A smaller software company in Chicago has created a four-day week model, allowing employees to choose one extra day off a week. Interestingly, Wednesday is the most popular choice, as many workers find a mid-week break leaves them refreshed to tackle their creative and technical tasks for the rest of the week.<\/p>\n
Down Under:<\/strong> A New Zealand estate management firm conducted an eight-week trial in 2018, reducing the work week from 40 to 32 hours for all 240 employees.<\/p>\nResearchers recording the results of the experiment found the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- There was a 7% decrease in stress;<\/li>\n
- There was a 5% increase in overall work satisfaction;<\/li>\n
- 24% more employees felt they had a better work-life balance;<\/li>\n
- No change in job performance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Asia:<\/strong> Even in Japan – where the working hours are among the longest worldwide, and many employees work around 80 hours of overtime a month – the Government has started to encourage companies to allow Monday mornings off.<\/p>\nBenefits of a Four-Day Work Week<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n- Productivity:<\/strong> Employees become more productive during office hours, as they work to compensate for the lost day.<\/li>\n
- Efficiency:<\/strong> Employees spend less time on inefficient tasks like meetings and waste less time taking breaks or browsing social media.<\/li>\n
- Engagement:<\/strong> Workers feel less stressed and can enjoy a better work-life balance, which makes them more engaged.<\/li>\n
- Teamwork:<\/strong> Teams work better together as they chase a common goal, improving their efficiency so everyone can enjoy an extra day of rest.<\/li>\n
- Savings:<\/strong> If all employees are out of the office one day a week, overheads like electricity decrease by 20%.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The benefits also extend beyond the office itself, into the wider environment. The extra day off reduces the number of commuters on the roads, lowering the company\u2019s carbon footprint.<\/p>\n
Potential Risks and Drawbacks<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\nOf course, this is quite a shift away from the norm, and there are potential pitfalls involved.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u25cf There is a risk that workers will fail to meet their work requirements in a shorter time, and that can be costly.
\n\u25cf Not all industries can participate in the four-day work week. Some workplaces require shift work or need employees to be on call 24\/7, so this model wouldn\u2019t be practical in those cases.
\n\u25cf In other industries, workers might put in the same \u201cregular\u201d hours anyway, and claim overtime for those hours, adding additional costs to the company\u2019s operations.
\n\u25cf Some workers might work up to 12 hours a day to compensate for the extra day off, which can lead to burnout – something the four-day work week is supposed to reduce, not increase.
\n\u25cf In order to make a four-day work week viable, employers need to be strategic and creative about the way it\u2019s implemented.<\/p>\n
Work Smarter, Not Faster<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\nHere are some tips for making the four-day week work for your business:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n- Start slowly, reducing work hours gradually by two hours, then half a day, before removing a full day.<\/li>\n
- Look at ways to rotate schedules and be flexible. For example, if half your team takes Friday as their extra day off and the other half takes Monday, this can ensure that you still have people onsite for a full five-day week.<\/li>\n
- Track productivity and output with a time-tracking tool or project management app to make sure it isn\u2019t dropping. The idea here is not to micromanage your team, but to make sure that their time is well-spent.<\/li>\n
- Maximise work efficiency by automating more of your team\u2019s simpler daily tasks. Automation helps to streamline processes and save you time.<\/li>\n
- Keep communication open. Encourage employee feedback and make sure the new model is working for them, and what suggestions they can offer to improve it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Did You Know?<\/strong> While the spread of the four-day work week is relatively recent, the concept is not exactly new. In 1930, economist John Maynard Keynes saw how the rise of industrialisation was making tasks more efficient, and he predicted “within a hundred years” society would have a work week as short as 15 hours.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\nLooking for Office Space?<\/strong><\/h2>\nWe Operate in Some of the World’s Top Cities:<\/span><\/p>\nLondon<\/a>, New York<\/a>, San Francisco<\/a>, Paris<\/a>, Singapore<\/a>, Hong Kong<\/a>,
\nSearch more locations<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Research conducted over the last three years shows that just over half of UK workers (51%) want to work a four-day week. Instead of the traditional Monday to Friday work week, employees would prefer to work longer hours from Monday to Thursday, taking Friday to Sunday off. Employers in a few European countries are already embracing this concept. How are they making it work, and could it be a viable option for the UK workplace? A \u201cnormal\u201d work week is eight hours a day, five days a week, working out to an average of 40 hours. Theoretically, switching to a four-day work week would require employees to work one to two extra hours a day on the four days they are in the office. However, some companies are working towards boosting efficiency and decreasing their total hours, meaning employees could work eight hours for four days, totalling a 32-hour work week. Four-Day Work Weeks Around the World Europe: Multiple countries in Europe have been experimenting with the four-day work week. European countries also have some of the shortest average working hours worldwide, with the shortest as follows: Germany: 26.37 Netherlands: 27.29 Norway: 27.38 Denmark: 28.02 France: 28.50 The United States: Workers in the USA tend to work longer hours on average than their continental counterparts – but some employers in the States are also recognising the benefits of a four-day working week. Since 2016, Amazon has offered some of its employees the chance to work a 30-hour week, although this is done at a reduced salary. A smaller software company in Chicago has created a four-day week model, allowing employees to choose one extra day off a week. Interestingly, Wednesday is the most popular choice, as many workers find a mid-week break leaves them refreshed to tackle their creative and technical tasks for the rest of the week. Down Under: A New Zealand estate management firm conducted an eight-week trial in 2018, reducing the work week from 40 to 32 hours for all 240 employees. Researchers recording the results of the experiment found the following: There was a 7% decrease in stress; There was a 5% increase in overall work satisfaction; 24% more employees felt they had a better work-life balance; No change in job performance. Asia: Even in Japan – where the working hours are among the longest worldwide, and many employees work around 80 hours of overtime a month – the Government has started to encourage companies to allow Monday mornings off. Benefits of a Four-Day Work Week Productivity: Employees become more productive during office hours, as they work to compensate for the lost day. Efficiency: Employees spend less time on inefficient tasks like meetings and waste less time taking breaks or browsing social media. Engagement: Workers feel less stressed and can enjoy a better work-life balance, which makes them more engaged. Teamwork: Teams work better together as they chase a common goal, improving their efficiency so everyone can enjoy an extra day of rest. Savings: If all employees are out of the office one day a week, overheads like electricity decrease by 20%. The benefits also extend beyond the office itself, into the wider environment. The extra day off reduces the number of commuters on the roads, lowering the company\u2019s carbon footprint. Potential Risks and Drawbacks Of course, this is quite a shift away from the norm, and there are potential pitfalls involved. \u25cf There is a risk that workers will fail to meet their work requirements in a shorter time, and that can be costly. \u25cf Not all industries can participate in the four-day work week. Some workplaces require shift work or need employees to be on call 24\/7, so this model wouldn\u2019t be practical in those cases. \u25cf In other industries, workers might put in the same \u201cregular\u201d hours anyway, and claim overtime for those hours, adding additional costs to the company\u2019s operations. \u25cf Some workers might work up to 12 hours a day to compensate for the extra day off, which can lead to burnout – something the four-day work week is supposed to reduce, not increase. \u25cf In order to make a four-day work week viable, employers need to be strategic and creative about the way it\u2019s implemented. Work Smarter, Not Faster Here are some tips for making the four-day week work for your business: Start slowly, reducing work hours gradually by two hours, then half a day, before removing a full day. Look at ways to rotate schedules and be flexible. For example, if half your team takes Friday as their extra day off and the other half takes Monday, this can ensure that you still have people onsite for a full five-day week. Track productivity and output with a time-tracking tool or project management app to make sure it isn\u2019t dropping. The idea here is not to micromanage your team, but to make sure that their time is well-spent. Maximise work efficiency by automating more of your team\u2019s simpler daily tasks. Automation helps to streamline processes and save you time. Keep communication open. Encourage employee feedback and make sure the new model is working for them, and what suggestions they can offer to improve it. Did You Know? While the spread of the four-day work week is relatively recent, the concept is not exactly new. In 1930, economist John Maynard Keynes saw how the rise of industrialisation was making tasks more efficient, and he predicted “within a hundred years” society would have a work week as short as 15 hours. Looking for Office Space? We Operate in Some of the World’s Top Cities: London, New York, San Francisco, Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong, Search more locations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,214],"tags":[568,569],"class_list":["post-12736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-growth","category-featured","tag-four-day-work-week","tag-global-working-trends"],"yoast_head":"\n
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Europe:<\/strong> Multiple countries in Europe have been experimenting with the four-day work week. European countries also have some of the shortest average working hours worldwide, with the shortest as follows:<\/p>\n The United States:<\/strong> Workers in the USA tend to work longer hours on average than their continental counterparts – but some employers in the States are also recognising the benefits of a four-day working week.<\/p>\n Since 2016, Amazon has offered some of its employees the chance to work a 30-hour week, although this is done at a reduced salary.<\/p>\n A smaller software company in Chicago has created a four-day week model, allowing employees to choose one extra day off a week. Interestingly, Wednesday is the most popular choice, as many workers find a mid-week break leaves them refreshed to tackle their creative and technical tasks for the rest of the week.<\/p>\n Down Under:<\/strong> A New Zealand estate management firm conducted an eight-week trial in 2018, reducing the work week from 40 to 32 hours for all 240 employees.<\/p>\n Researchers recording the results of the experiment found the following:<\/strong><\/p>\n Asia:<\/strong> Even in Japan – where the working hours are among the longest worldwide, and many employees work around 80 hours of overtime a month – the Government has started to encourage companies to allow Monday mornings off.<\/p>\n The benefits also extend beyond the office itself, into the wider environment. The extra day off reduces the number of commuters on the roads, lowering the company\u2019s carbon footprint.<\/p>\n Of course, this is quite a shift away from the norm, and there are potential pitfalls involved.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u25cf There is a risk that workers will fail to meet their work requirements in a shorter time, and that can be costly. Here are some tips for making the four-day week work for your business:<\/strong><\/p>\n Did You Know?<\/strong> While the spread of the four-day work week is relatively recent, the concept is not exactly new. In 1930, economist John Maynard Keynes saw how the rise of industrialisation was making tasks more efficient, and he predicted “within a hundred years” society would have a work week as short as 15 hours.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We Operate in Some of the World’s Top Cities:<\/span><\/p>\n London<\/a>, New York<\/a>, San Francisco<\/a>, Paris<\/a>, Singapore<\/a>, Hong Kong<\/a>, Research conducted over the last three years shows that just over half of UK workers (51%) want to work a four-day week. Instead of the traditional Monday to Friday work week, employees would prefer to work longer hours from Monday to Thursday, taking Friday to Sunday off. Employers in a few European countries are already embracing this concept. How are they making it work, and could it be a viable option for the UK workplace? A \u201cnormal\u201d work week is eight hours a day, five days a week, working out to an average of 40 hours. Theoretically, switching to a four-day work week would require employees to work one to two extra hours a day on the four days they are in the office. However, some companies are working towards boosting efficiency and decreasing their total hours, meaning employees could work eight hours for four days, totalling a 32-hour work week. Four-Day Work Weeks Around the World Europe: Multiple countries in Europe have been experimenting with the four-day work week. European countries also have some of the shortest average working hours worldwide, with the shortest as follows: Germany: 26.37 Netherlands: 27.29 Norway: 27.38 Denmark: 28.02 France: 28.50 The United States: Workers in the USA tend to work longer hours on average than their continental counterparts – but some employers in the States are also recognising the benefits of a four-day working week. Since 2016, Amazon has offered some of its employees the chance to work a 30-hour week, although this is done at a reduced salary. A smaller software company in Chicago has created a four-day week model, allowing employees to choose one extra day off a week. Interestingly, Wednesday is the most popular choice, as many workers find a mid-week break leaves them refreshed to tackle their creative and technical tasks for the rest of the week. Down Under: A New Zealand estate management firm conducted an eight-week trial in 2018, reducing the work week from 40 to 32 hours for all 240 employees. Researchers recording the results of the experiment found the following: There was a 7% decrease in stress; There was a 5% increase in overall work satisfaction; 24% more employees felt they had a better work-life balance; No change in job performance. Asia: Even in Japan – where the working hours are among the longest worldwide, and many employees work around 80 hours of overtime a month – the Government has started to encourage companies to allow Monday mornings off. Benefits of a Four-Day Work Week Productivity: Employees become more productive during office hours, as they work to compensate for the lost day. Efficiency: Employees spend less time on inefficient tasks like meetings and waste less time taking breaks or browsing social media. Engagement: Workers feel less stressed and can enjoy a better work-life balance, which makes them more engaged. Teamwork: Teams work better together as they chase a common goal, improving their efficiency so everyone can enjoy an extra day of rest. Savings: If all employees are out of the office one day a week, overheads like electricity decrease by 20%. The benefits also extend beyond the office itself, into the wider environment. The extra day off reduces the number of commuters on the roads, lowering the company\u2019s carbon footprint. Potential Risks and Drawbacks Of course, this is quite a shift away from the norm, and there are potential pitfalls involved. \u25cf There is a risk that workers will fail to meet their work requirements in a shorter time, and that can be costly. \u25cf Not all industries can participate in the four-day work week. Some workplaces require shift work or need employees to be on call 24\/7, so this model wouldn\u2019t be practical in those cases. \u25cf In other industries, workers might put in the same \u201cregular\u201d hours anyway, and claim overtime for those hours, adding additional costs to the company\u2019s operations. \u25cf Some workers might work up to 12 hours a day to compensate for the extra day off, which can lead to burnout – something the four-day work week is supposed to reduce, not increase. \u25cf In order to make a four-day work week viable, employers need to be strategic and creative about the way it\u2019s implemented. Work Smarter, Not Faster Here are some tips for making the four-day week work for your business: Start slowly, reducing work hours gradually by two hours, then half a day, before removing a full day. Look at ways to rotate schedules and be flexible. For example, if half your team takes Friday as their extra day off and the other half takes Monday, this can ensure that you still have people onsite for a full five-day week. Track productivity and output with a time-tracking tool or project management app to make sure it isn\u2019t dropping. The idea here is not to micromanage your team, but to make sure that their time is well-spent. Maximise work efficiency by automating more of your team\u2019s simpler daily tasks. Automation helps to streamline processes and save you time. Keep communication open. Encourage employee feedback and make sure the new model is working for them, and what suggestions they can offer to improve it. Did You Know? While the spread of the four-day work week is relatively recent, the concept is not exactly new. In 1930, economist John Maynard Keynes saw how the rise of industrialisation was making tasks more efficient, and he predicted “within a hundred years” society would have a work week as short as 15 hours. Looking for Office Space? We Operate in Some of the World’s Top Cities: London, New York, San Francisco, Paris, Singapore, Hong Kong, Search more locations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,214],"tags":[568,569],"class_list":["post-12736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-growth","category-featured","tag-four-day-work-week","tag-global-working-trends"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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Benefits of a Four-Day Work Week<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Potential Risks and Drawbacks<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n\u25cf Not all industries can participate in the four-day work week. Some workplaces require shift work or need employees to be on call 24\/7, so this model wouldn\u2019t be practical in those cases.
\n\u25cf In other industries, workers might put in the same \u201cregular\u201d hours anyway, and claim overtime for those hours, adding additional costs to the company\u2019s operations.
\n\u25cf Some workers might work up to 12 hours a day to compensate for the extra day off, which can lead to burnout – something the four-day work week is supposed to reduce, not increase.
\n\u25cf In order to make a four-day work week viable, employers need to be strategic and creative about the way it\u2019s implemented.<\/p>\nWork Smarter, Not Faster<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Looking for Office Space?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nSearch more locations<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"