4 Day Work Week

21Teens

I would absolutely love a 4 day work week we are so busy as a society getting everything done when working full time does not leave much time to fully rest on the weekends. Having one extra day will mean I’m fully rested and ready for the work week. There’s been many times when I’m not fully ready mentally and physically to begin my week of work

Saylyn

I think a four day working week is a great idea it would also make extra jobs for people to pick up the other hours but the conned to change to make it work

Radda

Yes please! 4 day work week will make everyone happy! It will significantly reduce workplace stress, lower sick leave usage and improve mental wellness. Less stress, longer lives!

Jen88

This has its benefits and negatives, depending on workload at the time. However there are roster like this in mining 4:4, 4:2 and 4:3 wh I ch are 12 hour days. If longer hours are achievable with families than why not make this optional for workers.

Aiva30693131

Optional would be great but then trying to condense the same workload into less hours - while it can help you to focus on what really matters at work, it can also add an extreme amount of pressure to constantly try to keep up.

ellamay

I am retired but my son and daughter work 4 days once a fortnight which seems to be beneficial to their lifestyle having young children and a small hobby farm. They catch up on things on their Friday off as weekends seem to be busy with the children's activities

orient

I think it is less productive for businesses. Small business will loose money. For government offering services for public, shutting their offices will be a disaster to the general public, so inconveniet for everyone especially banks

Massimiliano31654235

3 and a half days would be perfectly in balance?

lisa170

My husband has been working 4 days on, 4 days off for a few years now and it suits us perfectly. It gives us more time to go places than a normal 2 day weekend. He gets weekdays off as well as weekends so get all the life admin stuff done. I think everything should run that way.

Rita3279

I believe a four-day workweek is beneficial, especially for mothers. It provides better work-life balance, more quality time with children, and a genuine opportunity to rest and recharge, rather than spending the weekend catching up on household chores.

musicmum

It is okay as an option but not mandated. Too difficult for small business to find staff as it is, it will only make things harder if they have to keep training more people and paying all the extra things on top of wages. Leave it up to the business to introduce not forced.

Jodie32252907

Think it would be amazing at least to try for sure. If the same amount of work gets done (to be honest even if services become less efficient or things take a bit longer) - it will be worth it knowing I and others get more time to spend with family. I wonder if it can reduce stress?

dokterblom

I already work a four day week. While this means I work ten-hour days, I cherish the extra weekday off.

BCafeS15

You really need a 3 day working week when all working age people in a household are actually out working. 2 days is only enough time to get what you need done, forget about what you actually want to do. You need one day a week of nothing to do or worry about so you can destress.

Gra63

Depends on your line of work but if i could i would

Sky21

2 years ago, I became eligible for long service leave, and since I could not use it, I tried the 4-day a week model earlier this year. It worked wonders for me. I was so relaxed during the weekend and could actually enjoy it rather than worry about the work week, as I used the extra day off - Monday - to prep for the rest of the week (brekkies, lunches & dinner for school going kids).
I also noticed that I was more energetic and efficient at work as well, though the workload did increase a bit. I was more relaxed and wanting to work rather than trudging along.
I also felt that an extra day off released the good hormones in me, slowed down my pace and encouraged me to start taking time to cook healthier meals, go for walks and generally take care of myself, which I couldn't do earlier as I was too tired, busy or just rushing somewhere.
But the extra day off helped me catch up with myself, my family, my friends and my community, it gave me the much-needed calm and time to do things at a leisurely pace.

PukPuk

We have been on a four day on 4 day off system for many years and works well. Each day is longer which did reveal an issue with some in the younger generations as to real productivity (and safety awareness) for each of these hours so minor modifications were needed. In an office type scenario it probably doesnt matter so much hence will be primarily a public sector focus in the developing period.

wolverine1801

I did it for years when lawn mowing. It was great.
0630 to 1600 monday to Thursday each week.
There was always friday OT that was optional, never felt compelled to have to work extra.

Doccaau

It depends on the occupation and worker themselves. I work in a field where day lengths can vary, sometimes a 10 hour day is most suitable, other times I burnt out 7 hours in. A 9 day condensed fortnight of 76 to 80 hours is probably a happy medium for the field I am in for instance. Go to longer hours for a push on and can come back to 4 day in other times. A 4 day week can also allow for staff rotation, some may want 4 day blocks/3 day weekend, some 2 day blocks with a day gap and std weekend. Allows to work and become familiar with more coworkers and not get to point where you are wearing on each other day to day.

dicky a

Adds to the impression of all “baby boomers “ that the generations following have no idea of “ hard work” are bone lazy and expect everything to be handed to them on a golden platter.

dicky a

Adds to the impression of all “baby boomers “ that the generations following have no idea of “ hard work” are bone lazy and expect everything to be handed to them on a golden platter.

Stuart31314627

Can't really work for front line and service staff for small businesses.

Stuart31314627

Can't really work for front line and service staff for small businesses.

Bigbear

I think every Australian company should consider a four-day work week.
Our primary producer farmworkers nowadays engage in 4 day work weeks and are more energised since the change was offered.
They say they have a whole new outlook on their work responsibilities as a result and now welcome the more time to spend with their family, kids, partners, pets or whatever and say they are healthier and happier as a result.
I enjoy my 4 day work week and whatever the day I take off, I come in refreshed, energised and a lot more excited about doing the work that I have to do.
It may sound counterintuitive but we got more work done in the four days than we did when they worked five days a week.
We are more focused with increased productivity and our farmworkers sick leave is down and workers still get 100% of salary for 80% of the time and about over 100% productivity.

pasar

Should leave this to the company and employee to decide and not turn this into a national agenda. It's hard enough for small to medium business to navigate through so many legislated policies. I feel for the employers who are trying to make it

erogenius

I've read that in trials this has actually increased productivity within the workforce. If it was good for the business I would gladly work an extended day for 4 days to have 3 off.

redgums

What do Australian not want to work if they want to work you only get paid for 4 days work ,Australian are in a cost of living crises business need people to work 5 days a weeks it seems Australian are getting lazy

PGS

What do Australian not want to work if they want to work you only get paid for 4 days work ,Australian are in a cost of living crises business need people to work 5 days a weeks it seems Australian...

For most businesses it would need to be a roster system so the normal days are covered. For a 5 day week replacement, some could have Monday off, others Friday.

Rostering is probably the only way it could work for the fast food places / petrol stations.

Jiki

It's been proven that productivity is the same or increases with a 4 day work week as long as the hours worked are still full-time equivalent. I personally work 11 hour shifts on weekends to give myself an extra days off throughout the month and it works well.

marc97au

Stupid idea Australia's productivity is already so low and coupled with all the time off that Governments have legislated why go to work. 5 day week is fine.

hw7455

I think it’s a great idea but only benefits corporate salaried workers. What about every other worker in vocational jobs? They’ll still be working their butts off in 40+ hour weeks. It will create an industrial divide and resentment

hw7455

I think it’s a great idea but only benefits corporate salaried workers. What about every other worker in vocational jobs? They’ll still be working their butts off in 40+ hour weeks. It will create an industrial divide and resentment

Lucy31974726

It has been proven that there is no loss of productivity in 4 days than 5 days

jodie737

Ah no. The younger generations are already selfish, lazy and don’t want to at all.
This is also a ploy towards one world govt and a universal income. No thanks. I see the soft take over and this would be a part of it.

Sahida31983077

I would like to work 4 days a week and have 3 days off and still be able to keep my full time hours.

ance

Yes

Harshanie 30779333

Yes 4 day work week is good for the employees and employers because of the highest productivity

Jia31637989

I think it depends on the pay rates. If you get high pay for your living cost, 4 day work week is fabulous.

shelli

Good to give more of a work life balance. People easily work over and above their standard hours each day anyhow so it’s more fair to offer this. Just need to spread the day off amongst staff for coverage

Yummilicious

Really depends on the industry. We are to used to things available to is 24/7

redgums

Australia 4 day week is crazy it not fair on the business employing you

AdaG

Absolutely.. but the 4 days should not become 9-10 hour days to make up the day not working!

AdaG

Absolutely.. but the 4 days should not become 9-10 hour days to make up the day not working!

chickenman

i used to work 24/7, so what's the real issue here ?

chickenman

good for workers, not so good for small businesses !

kehranc

I would love to do a 4 day work week...a much better work/ life balance

tinapay

I’m in a 4 day work week and really works for me. Since I’m a single mom, I achieve a work/life balance and able to both do my responsibilities as a mother and an employee

Yqsymnx

Yeah this is a good initiative, but people need to remember they have more time off meaning they are likely to spend more money.
While it's good for balance and allows people to have better work/life balance, there will come a time when people will start complaining again. It's 'never' good enough.

mummylife

I think it would be great for family's so they can have more time together

kehranc

I think it would be great for family's so they can have more time together

Totally agree

maxwell54

40 hors vin 4 days that would be 10 days

bc

I work a 4day week BUT 10hr days so same hours just 2hrs longer per day - it works well, more downtime

intelligent

For some who are honestly devoted to their jobs, it it may be beneficial FOR EMPLOYEE AND EMPLoYER. i GIVES A CHANCE FOR THE WORKER TO RE-CHARGE THEIR ENERGY and when they come back to work, they can be very much more energetic and eager to continue with their tasks again. That counts dor productivity.

kehranc

For some who are honestly devoted to their jobs, it it may be beneficial FOR EMPLOYEE AND EMPLoYER. i GIVES A CHANCE FOR THE WORKER TO RE-CHARGE THEIR ENERGY and when they come back to work, they...

Agree

Ruskie30748487

I remember working 6 days a week, lucky back then, I worked for wages 4 days a week and then 2 days of cash money, when Cash was King, back in the 70's. Best time to be alive.

ladylucy666

A lot of industries already offer 1-4 days to work from home, so I don't see a huge difference in people working 5 days work in 4 days on site.
Depends on field.
Wouldn't overtly affect me, I drive buses 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

margi07

That would be fantastic, it will create more time to spend with friends and family and activities and hobbies

sheza54

Well at least productivity will be better and so many won’t feel like there burned out.

Ellessri

It could work but would be very much a case by case basis, for single parents or those with health issues this wouldnt work but there would be those for whom it could. There are also a lot of roles where the hours of the business would make this quite hard and possibly lead to extra staff needing to be hired that they possibly cannot afford

Jacks

It’s definitely worth a trial period I imagine most businesses would need to have staff rotating the work week as they would still need to operate/open 7/5 days a week not sure how a small business would work this situation .

saintrobbie

Not a fan think it will make people lazy and not enough work will get done and production will slow. Also, friendships will suffer with work mates. but if it is to happen have a cam in their homes so you know there hours, they are working don't want to pay for home duties when your business could be suffering. good luck not a fan.

Caperteewaratah

Sounds ok for the Workers but how does that fit in with the businesses?
Maybe 10 hour shifts 4 days per week? on a roster?
Or reduce the work hours per week?
I think 5 days per week is too much out of your life.
I am a shift worker not on FT now, but definitely shift work is better for lifestyle.

margcafe

Works for some, not for others.

becky131718

Most definitely sounds like a good idea

fergiefroggiz

Its a good decision we should have time for family and friends pplus it help with keeping up around the house

fergiefroggiz

Its a good decision we should have time for family and friends pplus it help with keeping up around the house

Mis3278

Yes I think 4 days work week is very good idea to get some time to feel relaxed.

Chet339

Yes, that would be fantastic, especially for education. Students would feel fresher, less burdened and have more time for outdoor activities or personal grooming. I eagerly await a four-day work week so I can live a better life. Everyone should have a home garden to grow their own vegetables and fruits. This is only possible with a four-day work week.

Caperteewaratah

Good idea if you are able to work more hours to make up your total work week.
Not sure if its good for business though as it means they have to stay open or allow employees to arrive earlier or stay later .. OK for well motivated people but there are workers who are just plain lazy, who need someone to tell them all the time to do their work. If Ihad a business, I would dismiss these ones as they are just a burden on the workplace.
Opening earlier and/ or later hours gives people options, to visit a business in hours other than 9 to 5.Great for shift workers and everyone.
Question is, how does a small business work this?

bev1410

A definite yes for the 4-Day Working Week. So many unemployed, forever moving the pension age, making unemployed aged people longer on the SS, like me. Giving school/University students better chances of employment. Relieving time for full-time workers to spend valuable time with their families, doing out of work activities/duties and "me time". Life is hard enough for most, down-time is a part of life.

Libbazz

I think that is a great idea if people are willing to work the longer hours during the 4 days. More time for a better work/life balance.

bev1410

A definite yes for the 4-Day Working Week. So many unemployed, forever moving the pension age, making unemployed aged people longer on the SS, like me. Giving school/University students better chances of employment. Relieving time for full-time workers to spend valuable time with their families, doing out of work activities/duties and "me time". Life is hard enough for most, down-time is a part of life.

Letty87

Our construction business is doing it now. Currently working Monday to Thursday, still 38 hours per week. We have found our productivity has increased and all the employees are saying they like it. It’s great having the extra weekend time and being able to run errands etc on a weekday leaving the weekend completely free.

Jude30693100

It would be so helpful for working Mums. Having a day to go to the Post Office, appointments, clean the house, make some meals etc would be amazing! I'm not sure how good it would be for the finances or economy but after working full time for 25 years or so (minus some maternity leave), I'd love a 4 day working week.

ozstarlett

I think it is an interesting idea. Although I don't understand how things would run properly. We are already having to pay overtime rates for weekends so that would give another day that would destroy small businesses. Working in education the students are at school 5 days a week - how are some parents going to cope having kids home an extra day every week. I already work from home and there is no way I could do my job at 4 days a week. There would not be enough time for planning then teaching - only way would be a work from home option but then who decides which 4 days etc and it would mean even less planned learning time. Some businesses it may work - but it should be a case by case basis with the employer. Some people prefer 5 days, others would prefer 4 days and work longer hours - there is also the 9 day fortnight option for some.

HB46

The 5 day work week is dinosaur thinking left over from the 1800s. There is no reason at all to have a 5 day work week other than the workforce being conditioned into it. The infrastructure to move an entire workforce into the offices and home again 5 days a week is a waste of resources. Countries and workplaces that have implemented a 4 day week appear to prove it is a viable alternative that can help people improve their personal lives. Hopefully we will continue to move away from Victorian ideas about industry.

linnyj

Having a 4-day working week has advantages and disadvantages. It could improve one's mental health, or it could create more stress with a busier workday load. It can help the fuel crisis by creating less travel, but local businesses such as cafes and transport companies can suffer through less business. Some say they work more efficiently at home, some say the opposite. Hence, it will depend on the business and the individual if a 4-day working week works for them.

funnysag

I think it would be better if the wages support it the same at least 2 times a month having the extra day

jtmorri

I think it is a good initiative and can definitely work, especially in office settings. Its success depends on the industry and how the workload is structured. Condensing the same hours into fewer days suits some teams, but it can be draining in frontline roles or industries like construction and mining where physical intensity and scheduling are a restriction. It’s not perfect for everyone, but it’s still a strong step toward modernising work and recognising there is life outside of work to organise. When companies recognise their employees’ needs and build in flexibility rather than forcing a one‑size‑fits‑all model, it tends to work well, and productivity isn’t affected negatively as employees and teams remain motivated.

dee84

Absolutely not!! With AI taking over some people will have no choice to have a 4 day week or less

woko

No

woko

No

woko

No

dicky a

This incredible desire adds further credence that the current generation have no idea of “ work,” Seduced by the slackness resulting from Covid and by gifts from indulgent vote seeking governments, this country is ruined.
God help you if you are an employer.. you are a victim of utter self indulgence and general laziness .
Sorry , the world does NOT owe anyone a living

dicky a

This incredible desire adds further credence that the current generation have no idea of “ work,” Seduced by the slackness resulting from Covid and by gifts from indulgent vote seeking governments, this country is ruined.
God help you if you are an employer.. you are a victim of utter self indulgence and general laziness .
Sorry , the world does NOT owe anyone a living

Sahida31983077

I think a four-day work week can be a good option, but its effectiveness depends heavily on how it’s implemented and on the industry involved.

One important distinction is between, a true four-day work week e.g., 32 hours over 4 days with no reduction in pay. A compressed work week e.g., 38–40 hours condensed into 4 longer days.

EileenW1

Many people will just work overtime or take ob an extra job.

Sil sil

So we all have either Monday or Friday off? How does it work? Weekend penalties still apply? What about shift work, penalties still the same?

victory

Yes I think it is a brilliant idea to have a four day work week and then that allows the people who are unemployed to get work and then when you need to work more hours you have an optional shifts.

Tuzy

It should be available to anyone who wants to take advantage of it. Families are so time poor today with most both working so any time to spend together it very valuable and so necessary.

annielou

I think it's an excellent idea. Whether it is 4x10 hour days, or the working hours get reduced to 32, working 4 days for me has always increased productivity at work, while increasing happiness and contentment outside of work, so my life overall is much better. It creates more opportunities for families to be together, or for parents to share the caring role, and I really see no downsides.

ZKM

In my current job I effectively elected to have a four day work week, I value my time with my family and my hobbies, so from the get go only said I would work 4x 8 hour days a week, my family can live off less than 50k a year so my partner and I only work part time/casual so we can enjoy time together. I’ve worked full time previously and don’t see the appeal, but if that’s your thing go for it.

pasar

Our country is increasingly feeling like a nanny state. Sure, there are companies that exploit employees and underpay them, but more legislation won't stop it. Laws are usually introduced to deter bad behavior and force a change, but unfortunately, it rarely works across the board—bad actors always find a workaround.

Look at our tax law; it’s already one of the most complex in the world. To appease voters, governments introduce laws that end up hurting law-abiding citizens, and politicians are rarely willing to fix their mistakes. For example, when the government changed the rules for Australian expats, forcing non-residents to pay full CGT from the original purchase date without indexation or revaluation, they just decided it was too much work to fix because it only affected a minority.

My preference is for employers and employees to take responsibility and accountability for their own arrangements. Bad behavior will be weeded out naturally if both sides simply operate with integrity, rather than relying on blanket legislation like a mandated four-day work week.

site77

If you work 10 or 12 hours a day to have Friday off, the accumulated fatigue can negate the benefit of the extra day of rest. For this to truly be a "good approach," the focus should be on efficiency and the quality of what is delivered, and not just on shifting hours from one place to another on the calendar

peaky

Definitely if it is feasible

kidwithsmurf

A four day work week when mentioned excites everyone, even me. This is because people at face value think, sweet a three day weekend. However, in reality, it means working the same hours in a shorter time period. This has numerous issues that do not work for everyone, all industries or the likes.

A four day work week when mentioned excites everyone, even me. This is because people at face value think, sweet a three day weekend. However, in reality, it means working the same hours in a shorter time period. This has numerous issues that do not work for everyone, all industries or the likes.
It does mean you get three days to relax and recover from the same hours worked as a four day week, but this means you get burnt out sooner. For example, a full time employee works 38hrs. This equates to 7.6hrs per day for 5 days or 9.5hrs for a 4 day work week. This is approx 2hrs more per day if you switch to a 4 day work day. Most people I know, complain they are burnt out doing their normal hours per day little own adding more even though it's the same overall weekly hours. Also, most people I know complain they don't have enough hours in a day little own a week to get all their work done. So even with a four day work week, most people would be working extra hours just to keep on top regardless.

That said above, a four day work week only works for certain industries. If you are an office worker for example where the office can be closed for an extra day of the week, it would fit perfectly as clients would just get used to this being the new normal. However, for industries like self employed, retail, hospitality, labourer's or anyone who works full time in an industry that opens/operates 7 days a week this would not work very well. This is because the doors don't close, meaning the employer would have to hire more people which they probably can't afford to do. Likewise, with these industries you can't normally start earlier or work longer as they normally have set hours for a reason.

Thus, even though in some industries it may work to have a 4 day work week, it is not practical for most industries. It also doesn't benefit many employees in the industries that can do a 4 day work week. This is because most employees are always chasing their tails to keep up with the demand to get their work done and would still be working overtime regardless of the number of work days. As mentioned earlier, employees would have to hire more people to stop this issue, but with the AI and outsourcing market, skilled employees in Australia are rare to find and most employers do not want to hire someone else, can’t afford to and or can't find someone with the required experience to fill the role to pick up the slack and work the other days.

Additionally, if we look at doctors, for example. Yes, they could do a 4 day work week easily. Starting earlier or working later and then having three days off. However, it is impractical as there is not enough doctors in Australia to have a four day work week. Thus, increasing the argument that Australia needs more skilled workers before all industries can even think about going to a 4 day work week. Like, if doctors did a 4 day work week for example, that would mean people who need to see a doctor wouldn’t be able to on the days they need to as there wouldn’t be enough doctors for the days they are not working even though they are working the same hours in 4 days. Thus, even though they’d see the same number of patients in 4 days as they would in 5 days, convenience would be reduced. We wouldn’t be able to ring up and get an urgent appointment on a particular day because the doctor is off, we’d have to wait until they return which could be life threatening.

Beyond the employee shortage argument comes the body strain argument. This argument stems from even though you get an extra day off to relax, you are either sitting in an office chair for an extra two hours per day or doing physically demanding work for an extra two hours without rest causing more body strain. This can have greater long term impacts as you are supposed to rest your eyes, muscles and body regularly. For example, you are not supposed to stare at a computer screen for long periods or sit, lift heavy objects or stand on your feet etc without regular breaks. We all know that when work gets busy, these breaks often do not happen. So, increasing the hours per day increases continuous strain on the body. As a result, working longer hours each day reduces recovery time during those four working days. This translates to more strain on the body compared to spreading the same workload over five days.
For example, if you are an office worker, you would be sitting and looking at a screen for an additional two hours per day, which places more strain on your eyes, neck, and posture. This strain can be greater than if the same hours were spread over five days. This is because you are taking fewer breaks across the week. In other words, your eyes and body are resting less frequently in a 4 day week compared to a traditional 5 day structure, even though the total weekly hours remain the same.
So, whilst a 4 day work week sounds exciting at first, the reality of it is that it doesn't work for every industry, every person, people with families or young kids and it doesn’t fix a growing employee problem. People will just get burnt out earlier in the week, will still be working overtime to catch up, still be chasing their tail and have longer periods of body strain. Thus, until employers in the industries where a 4 day work week could be implemented are willing to hire more employees or there are an increase of skilled workers to hire to prevent burnout, a 4 day work week will never really be beneficial for anyone. That also said, the body strain argument is never really fixable and is just a trade-off that you have to weigh up. Is it better to spread the body strain over 5 days or have strain for longer in 4 days with an extra day to recover?

That said above, a four day work week only works for certain industries. If you are an office worker for example where the office can be closed on an extra day of the week, it would fit perfectly as clients would just get used to this being the new normal. However, for industries like self employed, retail, hospitality, labourer's or anyone who works full time in an industry that opens/operates 7 days a week this would not work very well. This is because the doors don't close, meaning the employer would have to hire more people which they probably can't afford to do. Likewise, these industries you can't normally start earlier or work longer as these industries normally have set hours for a reason.

Thus, in some industries it may work to have a 4 day work week, it is not practical for most industries, doesn't benefit many employees in the industries that can do a 4 day work week. This is because most employees are always chasing their tails to keep up with the demand to get their work done and would still be working overtime regardless of the number of work days. As mentioned earlier, employees would have to hire more people to stop this issue, but with the AI and outsourcing market, skilled employees in Australia are rare to find and most employers do not want to hire someone else and or can't find someone with the required experience to fill the role to pick up the slack and work the other days.

So whilst a 4 day work week sounds exciting at first, the reality of it is that it doesn't fix a growing problem nor does it work for every industry. People will just get burnt out earlier in the week, will still be working overtime to catch up and still be chasing their tail. So until employers, for the industries a 4 day work week would work for, are willing to hire more employees to stop employee burn out a 4 day work week will never benefit anyone.

Hayley32245091

I think a 4 day work week would be wonderful. It would hopefully reduce burnout in higher impact and fast paced professions

trisha26

I believe this will succeed only if the wages are increased to meet inflation. Also it sounds good too if everyone is on board with this. If someone is not reliable then it won’t work.

Tinacalc

It sounds great to me but will it work for families if hours are increased on the other 4 days to cover the day off.

trisha26

I believe this will succeed only if the wages are increased to meet inflation. Also it sounds good too if everyone is on board with this. If someone is not reliable then it won’t work.

l0lapx

With respect sounds wonderful, like all the other do good idea, and today we have children who don't have a family home, who don't know if they are male or female, Our legal system cannot define a man or woman, people who know get sued, abused ostracized. And 4 days a week today ,,, but will be no days a week, for our grand children, so UBI will be what they get if they survive...... Not enough are listening to the head honchos who talk on alternative not MSM.....

skagaray

If the same productivity could be achieved, then yes. It would reduce commuting time, leave more time for family and community activities. But beware of losing productivity. We have a problem with that already.

abarnes

Four day week, three day week, it really doesn't matter; what matters is productivity.
If I can still make 100 widgets in four days when it used to take me five days, I'm golden. But, if can only make 80 in those four days (for the same income) and my company needs to engage additional people to make the other 20, then I'm effectively 'sending them to the wall.'

If productivity drops, the model fails.
If productivity holds, the model is legitimate. It's that simple.

Bigbear

I've done and still do the 4 day week, for me it works well due to my type of work.
Otherwise I think that most businesses need to be available at least 5 days per week.
I suppose you can split your work force to have people covering Monday to Thursday, then the others who do Tuesday to Friday and may not be that hard to implement really although I suppose it may not work in all industries or where staff members are limited but it can work if executed properly.

Radda

Yes yes yes please. This is a great measure for work life balance. We need more quality time at home with our loved ones, not work coleagues. The 5th day in the week will be great for logistics part of your life - running errands, appointments, solving any banking issues, leaving the weekend just for fun, great time to recharge your batteries for the week ahead. Bring it on, baby!

AdelaideM

I absolutely think a four day work week is the way forward. It would allow one day for jobs, one day for rest and one day for socialisation. Realistically, most people can get their work done in 4 days, but need more breaks during the day due to general exhaustion. Extra rest would mean people would be more productive at work while also being able to rest properly, which is a win-win!

Sus1

I absolutely think a four day work week is the way forward. It would allow one day for jobs, one day for rest and one day for socialisation. Realistically, most people can get their work done in 4...

I wonder how more breaks during the day would work in more regulated workplaces with award wages?

isaacsmum

YES! Due to family commitments I was working 4 days a week and it did not affect my productivity compared with my colleagues. I essentially gave up a days wage per week to achieve the work/life balance I needed. I now work for an organisation that recognises this as an option and enable compressed work weeks. Having this option has empowered working parents and those transitioning to retirement as some examples. As long as organisations build teams with slack and contingencies, paying more attention to workload management a 4-day work week could really work for most industries. It takes planning, creativity, and most importantly trust in your workers. Piloting this would show organisations ways forward and refinements they can make to enable their workforce with this work/life choice.