Four Day Working Week

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2022/1129/1339085-four-day-week/

I've been doing this on a voluntary basis (with pro-rata reduction of pay) for years now, and I would hate go back to full time.

I'd love if it became an option to do my job "five days" over a four day week - especially now I no longer commute 2/3 hours a day.

Thoughts?

Pros? Cons?

Mrs OBumble

It won't happen. Any workplace that currently allows part time is not going to suddenly start giving you more dosh for the same work.

My current job has people on 3,4 and 5 day per week and some on 4 or 5 short days, 20 or 25 hours/week.

The claims of employers giving 40 hours pay for 32 hours work are temporary: future hires will get 32 hour contracts with pay to match.

StupidLikeAFox

It will suit some types of jobs and some workplaces and some people. Like a lot of places didn't pay attention to wfh until covid came around, then they were forced to do it, then some embraced it and other couldn't wait to get people back.

If a company have to offer a 4 day week to attract or retain the right people then they will do it, we're a long way from that though

I used to do that some years back. No loss of pay because the 40 hour five day week was compressed into a 40 hour four day week. And I absolutely loved it!

Just to be clear though, it's all about circumstances and context. For me it was a swing shift alternating between days and evenings. Day shift was 8.00 to 18.00 Monday morning to Thursday. Evening shift was 18.00 Monday evening to 04.00 Friday morning.

At the time I was living a 20 minute ride from Shannon Airport, in those days it had some great budget airline destinations, and I was a single man aged maybe 31,32,33 ish. Every second Thursday night you could get a plane to Paris, Gdansk, Grenada, Bordeaux, etc etc etc for 20 quid. And you didn't have to come home until the Monday evening for a 18:00 start. So every second weekend you could just go to the airport, see what was going next, and more or less jump on board in the clothes you were wearing with an overnight change bag if you wanted.

Of course, on the other hand if you were a married mother of 4 or 5 kids under the age of 10 then your experience might be entirely different.

Sunny Dayz

We had discussed it a bit in work a few months ago. I'm on the fence about it. It would be great to have a 3 day weekend but as it is I work a half day Friday by working an extra half hour Mon-Thurs. I could probably come in a bit earlier and stay later some evenings. I couldn't imagine getting 5 days pay for 4 days (hours-wise) work. Plus it is often a struggle to stay on top of my workload over the 5 days so I would definitely still need to be working the same hours in the the week, whether that's over 4 or 5 days.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119942592#Comment_119942592

They said widespread WFH would never happen, either.

I think a four day week will happen eventually, at least in some employments.

I didn't suggest anyone get paid the same for less hours, I was more thinking along the lines of the same hours (and pay) compressed into a 4 day week. It would suit my circumstances.

It goes without saying, it obviously would not suit all, but where it does, I think it would be a great option (and incentive) to offer staff.

hardybuck

Companies will continue to do what's in their interests, as they've always done.

For some companies a four day week will work really well, help them recruit and retain staff, improve employee satisfaction, performance and ultimately profits.

I think the HSE should be taking a good look at this. Their staff are stressed and burnt out, and in many cases they're leaving for roles which offer a better work-life balance in places like Australia and NZ. I think you'd find that the additional pay costs involved would be negated by lower levels of staff absence and turnover.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119943381#Comment_119943381

The 4-day week trial which sparked current discussions has 4 regular-length days for the same pay as its starting point: they say that what you describe (4 longer days instead of 5 shorter ones) isn't really a 4-day week. (Newspeak at its finest).

Like WFH, it only really applies to a very limited number of workers overall.

AndrewJRenko

I’d be concerned that this will further widen the gap between those with nice comfy office jobs, who get to WFH for four days a week, and those who have the pleasure of serving those nice comfy people when they go to shops and restaurants, or when they leave their kids or their parents in care.

StupidLikeAFox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119944818#Comment_119944818

A restaurant near me were advertising jobs with 4 day weeks coming out of the pandemic in order to attract staff. It's probably easier for restaurants/nursing homes to roster a four day week as long as they have cover, which is another issue. It might even make those jobs more attractive

Strumms

I did it for around 18 months. Pluses and negatives for my perspective..

Plus : split shift pay, 3 day weekend, not using so many days leave to attain required holidays.. a week off only costs you 4 days instead of 5.

Negatives : first day of 3 days off I was always knackered, not fit for much. If system outage or any reason overtime is required, you’ve already been there 12 hours…plus you might be as I was, expected to stay.

so works both ways, the good, bad and ugly.

griffin100

There's a big push on for the 4 day week among the tech sector in the USA. I was at a conference in the US a couple of months ago and senior execs from the companies were planning on meeting with Congress members to push for some sort of recognition around this. They had the evidence to show (or so they claimed) that if you cut out non productive time then you can squeeze 5 days work into 4 days. So in their vision your work volume will stay the same, but you will working harder over the 4 days - there will be no chit chat in corridors, going for coffee, etc - all that non productive stuff that often makes the workplace bearable. I found it ironic that they were pushing for some sort of right to a 4 day week when they lack what we in Europe would see as basic worker rights.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119943682#Comment_119943682

You really need to move a bit closer to the present and future. The construction site on my road falls silent on a Friday, they only work a four day week. The other four days they are banging about from about six in the morning until six at night - a 48 hour week is normal here (Switzerland) and they do it in 4 days.

It seems to be a very popular option with workers, especially in the summer time when they want to get away for a long weekend. The tourist industry is happy about the trend as well.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119951941#Comment_119951941

Did you miss the post where I said that the company I'm working for has people on 3, 4 and 5 day weeks, and they have people doing 4 or 5 hours/day over a 5 day week - again, for the appropriate proportion of full salary, and by agreement between the manager and employee. (Personally I'm now on a 4 day week, normal length days, for 80% of full salary.) The company overall provides services over five days a week though, because that's what customers expect in this industry.

Agree that some places have people doing 10 or 12 hour days, for 4 or 3 days per week - it's nothing new hospital nurses have been doing that for 20+ years, and security guards for as long as I can remember.

But a 48 hour working week is not the future. It is the archaic past, where workers didn't get adequate rest time.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119945165#Comment_119945165

Lots of pubs and restaurants have always done 4 day weeks but it's 4x10.

4x8 isn't really a bonus if they are paying minimum wage. Thats just the owner saving money.

Personally I think everyone who can should do 4x10. Its always been my favourite.