Proponents argue that a reduced-hours working model can help address many current work negatives, making employees more productive, healthier and happier. Most importantly, salaries remain the same.Įxperts and workers alike are debating the idea, because the pandemic has forced us to take a long, hard look at the modern workplace, and associated themes like work-life balance, mental health and worker flexibility. A commonality across all models is that you’re not cramming your previous work span into a shorter timeframe, like working 40 hours in four days you are removing a portion of your total work time for the week. Or you might just reduce the workweek by a certain number of hours, from 40 down to 36, for example. There are different models everyone at a company might take the same day off, or people chose the structure that works for them, like taking two afternoons off. There’s the four-day week, where you reduce your working hours by 20%.

The idea of shrinking the workweek is also gaining traction, particularly in light of recent examples of workforces who have successfully trialed a reduced-hours’ week.Ī shorter workweek could take various forms. Options like all-remote or hybrid – which were completely unthinkable for most people just two years ago – are now becoming part of work mainstream. We’re living in an age of radical transformation in the workplace.

Work hours in a year 2021