The importance of employee satisfaction has changed fundamentally in recent years. Whereas companies used to be more like an ant colony with fixed rules and working hours, today values such as autonomy, self-determination and a healthy work-life balance count. Many companies have become more flexible, particularly with regard to working hours. Instead of prescribing fixed attendance times for employees, models such as the 4-day week are being introduced. We have summarized here how flexible working time models are implemented and how all sides can benefit from them.
There are very different approaches to introducing flexitime or flexible working time models in the company. As the name suggests, with the 4-day week, employees work only 4 days and have 3 full days off. Most of the time, the working hours fall on Monday through Thursday, so employees can enjoy a long weekend. In other cases, however, the days off can be set individually from week to week. There are various options in the implementation of this flexible working hours model.
Often, employees have to be at work a little longer on work days to work out the day off. Often, they then work a total of 38 hours and receive full pay for 40 hours of work, or they actually work a full day less with full pay. Large corporations have long exemplified the 4-day workweek. Companies like Google, Facebook and Amazon were pioneers and have reported their positive experiences.
Whether a shorter working week with longer working hours each day really has a positive effect on the working atmosphere and productivity ultimately depends on the implementation. It is important that the same workload does not have to be performed for which even less working time is now available. This would result in stress, which in turn would be counterproductive for health and the general working atmosphere.
When employees are in the office longer every day, private errands are often left behind, which are then made up for on the days off. The feeling of lagging behind with private errands during the week can also lead to stress and burnout symptoms. The benefits of flexible working time models therefore only unfold if they are implemented correctly and in a meaningful way within the company.
Basically, the decision has to be made whether working hours are generally reduced by a 4-day week or only distributed differently. The goal of flexible working time models is to minimize the workload and give employees more freedom to balance work, family and private life. In the end, this is only possible if the workload is reduced and employees can work in a more focused and concentrated manner for the same pay, but at the same time their private lives are not restricted by longer working days.
Pilot projects have shown that employees with a 4-day week are more balanced and can work with greater focus. The longer breaks at the weekend mean that they start the new working week more refreshed and are sick less often. According to studies, shorter working hours generally lead to higher motivation and increased commitment among employees. A company that can offer employment contracts with a 4-day week is also more attractive to applicants. This can become a decisive advantage over the competition.
Do you need support in designing a flexible working time model that suits your company? In executive coaching, we reflect on your situation and develop possible solutions together with you.