Currently, there is a strong push for shorter workdays to boost productivity. Studies have been done to determine the advantages of a four-day workweek, but there have also been suggestions to shorten the workday to five hours. Is it as effective, and which is better?
The traditional workday – the origins.
The traditional eight-hour workday has deep roots and dates back to the Industrial Revolution. It seems to us now that it has only one limitation, but it once seemed like a good election.
Earlier in the 19th century, during the expansion of industrial society, people would work up to 16 hours in poor conditions, and even such work was allowed dents. This was dangerous and exhausting, so the Industrial Revolution riots began. The phrase “Eight hours to work, eight hours to rest and eight hours to relax” was actively promoted, in 1817. It became trendy, and riots ended in violent outcomes – which turned the government to reconsider the idea of working hours.
People are now skeptical of this schedule, although the move to an 8-hour day seems like a good idea because it does not promote work-life balance, which leads to burnout and stress.
The 5-hour workday concept.
In 2017, the consulting company Rheingans Digital Enabler in Germany was bought by entrepreneur Lasse Reingans in 2017 and reduced the work week to 25 hours, leaving a 5-hour workday. At the same time, however, he imposed strict office conduct rules. Work began at 8 a.m. and ended at 1 p.m. – but only those who completed their day plan could leave. To implement it best, he introduced restrictions – prohibition of using phones, social networks, communication with colleagues, and if you need to talk about the case – no more than 15 minutes. At first, of course, it did not please everyone, but the result is that the company’s productivity has increased, the work week has decreased, and the employees themselves are happy.
An experiment like this showed how positively a 5-hour work schedule can play in our society. The experience promotes focus, increases productivity, reduces stress, and provides more personal time. And even though the loss of relative personal freedom at work may scare you – what you get in the end is very good. This kind of team – which they don’t try to turn into a happy family – will do the best they can – to go home sooner. Yes, it’s a strange concept in our age – but effective.
However, if you drop the fearful rules and think for yourself about how to cope with work in a short period of time – can people take responsibility for their concentration?
It is worth introducing courses in time management and organization for employees in all companies – to give them the opportunity to learn – as well as to submit the use of a project management planner, where all the tasks will be presented to the team. Such a practice would increase control and reduce the time it takes to solve work issues.
Some difficulties
However, the five-day workday does present some difficulties. Supervisors and managers may wonder if employees can accomplish all necessary tasks in a shorter period. Business and work, in general, will need to be rethought, and employees may worry about possible pay cuts or if their workday will be shortened.
If a company moves to a 5-hour workday without cutting employees’ wages, it could significantly increase labor costs. On the other hand, if wages are cut proportionately, employees may face financial hardship. Regardless of this statement, the experiment discussed earlier, in which employees were left at the same salary and nothing significantly changed in costs or income, can be considered a baseless worry.
Conclusion.
How the 5-hour workday will fit into the future of employment as of 2021 is difficult to predict with any degree of precision. Several companies are testing out different strategies to increase productivity and employee satisfaction, such as remote working, flexible scheduling, and shorter hours. But in the long run, will a 5-hour workday be practical?
The following inquiries are necessary in order to understand:
• The first thing to consider is whether a 5-hour workday will increase or decrease productivity for enterprises.
• Will people be able to maintain their productivity or cope with strict rules?
• Are employers able to pay staff members the same amount for fewer work hours?
The future of work may involve various work schedules tailored to the requirements of other companies and their personnel.
For the five-hour day to become sustainable in the future and to be applied by companies, we need to understand the difficulties and deal with the prejudices embedded in us for a long time. Regardless, our society has recently become more open to changes in the workplace due to how everything has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and people moving to telecommuting. With more experimentation, we can shorten the workday to 5 hours.
