4-day workweeks increase job satisfaction and productivity
I found this interesting article from The Times of India, discussing Utah’s transition to a 4-day workweek from a 5-day workweek. Researchers from the Romney Institute of Public Management found that 60% of employees who have transitionedto the 4-day workweek reported higher productivity.
They found that even though four day work week employees work the same number of hours per week as their traditional work-week counterparts, they reported being more satisfied with their jobs, compensation, and benefits, and were less likely to look for employment elsewhere in the next year.
Source: The Times of India
It’s funny what a seemingly slight difference in scheduling makes. They work the same number of hours as 5-day workweek employees, and yet they report better performance and job satisfaction. If the performance is indeed better, businesses should take a serious look into applying similar changes in their schedule.
I think people spend too much time at work overall in the U.S. And how much of it is actually productive time (note, there’s a big difference between productive time and *busy* time)? I’ll wager that for a lot of people, it’s a lot less than they think…
I agree. However, there’s room for optimism, since a lot of changes are taking place in the workplace – from schedule adjustments to allowing employees to telecommute, to having a results oriented workplace.