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Thursdays could become the new Fridays any time now.
Yep, the four-day workweek is peeping over the horizon.
Iceland already proved that it works with the world’s largest trial of a shorter working week, showing that everyone was much happier, healthier, and more productive.
Now, the UK is getting in on the good stuff, launching a new pilot of a four-day working week with no less pay for participating employees.
If there is anything good that has come out of the gruelling COVID-19 pandemic, it has to be that how, where, and for how long we work has changed drastically, making this new working model all the more plausible.
From June to December 2022, around 30 British companies are set to take part in the pilot, with more able to apply if they deem it worthy.
Guiding us all to the horizon is 4 Day Week Global in partnership with the think tank Autonomy, the 4 Day Week UK Campaign, as well as researchers at Oxford University, Boston College, and Cambridge University, The Independent reported.
Besides Iceland (and now the UK), many other companies and countries have tested out this new way of life.
Microsoft Japan did it with great success (productivity was boosted by 40%) and Panasonic also recently introduced an optional four-day workweek for employees.
Among the companies involved in the UK pilot are Canon, with Ken Sutherland, the president of Canon Medical Research Europe, being an absolute inspiration via Mashable:
“We recognise that working patterns and the focus we all give to our work-life balance has changed substantially during the pandemic. As a responsive employer we are always looking at how we can adapt our working practices to ensure that employees find their time with us is meaningful, fulfilling and productive. For this reason, we’re keen to pilot a four-day week to see if it can work for us.”
Joe O’Connor, the pilot programme manager for 4 Day Week Global, can’t help but be hopeful as more businesses move to “productivity-focused strategies”.
He said the current model of work is being challenged by the four-day workweek model, encouraging companies to focus more sharply on the output being produced rather than simply measuring working hours.
In conclusion, as O’Connor said, “2022 will be the year that heralds in this bold new future of work”.
As we approach the four-day workweek, I’ll be that kid in the backseat asking “are we there yet?” every minute.
You can’t be annoyed, because you’re probably that kid, too.
[sources:independent&mashable]
