The four-day week seems to be turning the dream of many workers around the world, and also the nightmare of others. The portion that wants this to actually happen believes that the format would be fairer, after all, we would work four days and rest three, something more balanced. The other part, mostly composed of business owners, believes that one day less work can be detrimental to the results. Who is right?
The fact is that, business owners do not fail to have a point that we must take into account: from the moment we “lost” a work day, we will inevitably do fewer tasks during the week, because we will not have the skillful time to be able to perform as many activities as before. The question then becomes, how not to let this generate a negative impact on productivity?
In order for the four-day week to be applied in a functional way, it is necessary to understand how this new model will work, because it is no use taking a day if the work of others will be longer and longer. In practice, this is what will happen at the beginning and, I think, for a long time. It is likely that this will end up discouraging employees over time, because they will have to work even more hours and will be more tired, which is not something healthy.
The four-day week began in New Zealand in 2019 and has been expanding to other countries on different continents under the management of the movement 4 Day Week Global, which is a non-profit community. And has worked in many of these places, however, some questions arise: can it become a reality here in Brazil? Would it really work?
Earlier this year, 21 Brazilian companies agreed to participate in a four-day week pilot project, which preaches the 100-80-100 model, that is, professionals receive 100% of salary, working 80% of time and maintaining 100% of productivity 4 Day Week Brazil in conjunction with a Reconnect Happiness at Work, the consultancy that leads the project in Brazil, show that the results are being positive.
Among the most relevant data are improvements in the energy of professionals at work (82.4%), project execution (61.5%), creativity and innovation (58.5%) and stress reduction (62.7%). With the approach of the end of 2024 and this pilot project coming to an end, participating companies expect that all investment in new hires and technology will be reversed in attracting talent and more productivity.
For this reason, it is essential that companies that adopt this format, create a structured planning with productivity strategies, aimed at team engagement and fulfillment of their functions in a deadline that is according to the current scale of work. In addition to also be prepared to spend a little more than they were used to previously to make the model work.
Of course, it will not be easy to change something so rooted in the labor culture of the whole world and requires patience during the process. There are numerous challenges to be overcome to make the four-day week work 'EITHER in Brazil or in other countries - but it is worth the attempt, especially if we can continue working for results, without losing productivity and engagement, and prioritizing our quality of life.
Can a four-day week in Brazil become a reality?
