After a mass resignation in 2021, an US-based non-profit company took the classic step to turn things around - a 4-day workweek. The policy worked brilliantly with happier employees, outstanding customer satisfaction and increased revenue.
Healthwise, based in Idaho, approached labour economist Juliet Schor following the mass resignation and started four-day work week in August last year on a trial basis, a report by Entrepreneur said.
And Schor at a TED conference pointed out, The results: happier employees, outstanding customer satisfaction and increased revenue.
The shorter work weeks led to employees being less stressed, appreciating their jobs more and having better lives outside their workplaces, she added according to a TED blog. And on the Friday offs, Healthwise employees are spending time doing family activities like sports or errands.
As for companies, Schor shares evidence that they’re benefiting from lower turnover, higher-quality applicants and savings on health care. What’s more, shorter work hours reduces carbon emissions: if people are commuting to and spending less time at the office, everybody’s carbon footprint goes down.
Schor admits that it’s not feasible for everyone to take advantage of a compressed four-day work week — namely public school teachers and frontline health care workers. But pandemic-driven anxiety and burnout call for brave new experimentation in how we work and live.
