The four-day week seems to be becoming a dream for many workers around the world, and a nightmare for others. Those who want it to happen believe 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 less day of work could be detrimental to results. Who is right?
The fact is, business owners have a point we must consider: from the moment we "lose" a day of work, we will inevitably accomplish fewer tasks during the week, as we won't have enough time to complete as many activities as before. The question then becomes, how do we prevent this from negatively impacting productivity?
For the four-day week to be implemented effectively, it's necessary to understand how this new model will work, because there's no point in taking away a day if the work schedule for the others will be longer. In practice, that's what will happen initially and, I think, for a long time. It's likely that this will eventually discourage employees over time, as they will have to work even longer hours and become more tired, which is not healthy.
The four-day week started in New Zealand in 2019 and has expanded to other countries on different continents, managed by the 4 Day Week Global , a non-profit community. It has been successful in many of these places, however, some questions arise: could it become a reality here in Brazil? Would it really work?
Earlier this year, 21 Brazilian companies agreed to participate in a pilot project of the four-day week, which advocates the 100-80-100 model, meaning professionals receive 100% of their salary, working 80% of the time and maintaining 100% productivity. Data released by 4 Day Week Brazil in conjunction with Reconnect Happiness at Work , the consultancy leading the project in Brazil, shows that the results are positive.
Among the most relevant data are improvements in employee energy at work (82.4%), project execution (61.5%), creativity and innovation (58.5%), and stress reduction (62.7%). With the end of 2024 approaching and this pilot project nearing its conclusion, participating companies expect that all the investment in new hires and technology will translate into talent attraction and increased productivity.
For this reason, it is crucial that companies adopting this format create a structured plan with productivity strategies aimed at team engagement and the fulfillment of their functions within a timeframe that aligns with the current work schedule. They should also be prepared to spend slightly more than they were previously accustomed to in order to make the model work.
Of course, changing something so deeply ingrained in the global work culture will not be easy and requires patience throughout the process. There are numerous challenges to overcome in making the four-day week work – both in Brazil and in other countries – but it's worth the attempt, especially if we can continue working towards results without losing productivity and engagement, and prioritizing our quality of life.
Could a four-day work week in Brazil become a reality?
