Work ethic: Do you think a 4-day work week will bring efficiency?
I just read that Poland wants to launch a pilot project of a 4-day work week from January 2026 (although a 4-hour work week would sound better). š
I want to ask if any of you in your company have tried this concept of a shorter work week, and how it has affected the results of your employees and the company?
In my country (Slovakia), most of the time we have 5 days a week (8 working hours), and home office is a privilege. I personally see it as a very expensive way of functioning at work, especially when unpaid travel is a waste of time and money. So I am pretty lucky to be remote because I can dedicate time to work instead of travelling and am more focused.
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I think a 4-day work week works only if companies also cut inefficiencies; otherwise, it just squeezes the same chaos into fewer days.
Remote work already offers a significant set of benefits, including more focus, reduced travel time, and lower costs. Iāve seen teams thrive with both remote + 4-day schedules, but the real win comes from rethinking how we work, not just how many days.
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@jinkal1329Ā It's about individuals and their commitment / self-discipline. Remote is not for everybody.
I think there is no harm in 5 days a week work provided companies are understanding about employees work and life balance
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@debmita_dewanji1Ā If workers have flexible time for working, then yes. I also work like that, so I can plan work/hobby activities and mix them. It is like recharging between work :)
Hi @busmark_w_nika I have tried this, I come from a city which has the worst traffic in the world. I saved 1 hr everyday in travelling which was equal to 5-6 hours in week and 20-24 hours in a month. Almost a day saved in month
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@droidashĀ Now, count in money that time :)
Uxia
I havenāt tried a 4-day work week myself, but in an ideal scenario, it could boost efficiency: more rest, less burnout, and savings on commuting. The challenge is that creating that ideal setup is very difficult, and without it, the benefits might not fully happen.
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@borja_diazroigĀ What setup do you mean? Like remote (work from home)?
Happyverse
I think it comes down to ones goals.
It's obviously better for everyone's mental health and overall quality of life to work fewer days (I'm honestly not sure why we have all co-created a 'live to culture' in the way we have) however when it comes down to being productive and moving forward, it's really about working as much possible without burning out.
As a startup, for instance, we're currently working 6-7 days a week! It's not necessarily sustainable in the long term but it's needed at this phase.
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@sethmonkĀ What about your employees on that? How does it work? Because I can understand that founders are more enthusiastic about the work related to THEIR project. But someone who is hired can be less thrilled about this 7-day work week concept.
Happyverse
@busmark_w_nikaĀ I am an employee! I find it exciting, I like the all hands on deck energy and the feeling like weāre working on something urgent and important.
Itās not a schedule Iād want to be in forever, but for a few months Iām finding it enjoyable. Also there are great rewards if this all works out š
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@sethmonkĀ aaa good to know. I rather meant to work under this concept long-term. E.g. I have been working every day for almost 5 years and wouldn't trade it for anything, but most of my work is indeed freelance and my stuff. š
As an employee in various startups I saw 4 days as optimal for productivity and work-life balance. I would be happier, more rested and have the focus on the things that matter in the moment.
Now as a founder it seems like a distant dream and I cannot see working 4 days a week. Even 5-day work weeks seem like I am not working hard enough...
Overall, it depends on where you are and what role you play. If you have a well-defined role with minimal dependencies, then 4-day work week is definitely better. Unfortunately this is not the case, especially in the early stages.
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@ss_dfĀ I feel you. š There is no single day I wouldn't work. š If there is such a day, it feels like a waste of time.
First Answer
Iām personally not a fan of the 4-day week, in many cases, it just squeezes the same workload into fewer days, which can be more exhausting. I think flexible hours and remote work often bring better results without the pressure of longer daily shifts. Have you seen any examples where the 4-day week actually reduced the workload?
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@rodrigo_beckmannĀ Personally, I haven't had a chance to see/experience such a company, because in my country we are so old-school :D But thankfully, I collab with a German company and I have a flexible schedule, which is a huge win for me. I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Super Intern
It is too aggressive as many context may be lost after 3-day weekend, unless the work is highly independent. At the same time, in Hong Kong, more and more people choose to work remotely, as office rent is pretty high and most of the service can be done off-office. IMO, WFH could be a better solution as people often need more flexibility rather than rest.
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@alvis_chuĀ Is remote work optional in China? I thought they had to be present in person.
Hmm, let's unpack this...
1. Working more may boost productivity.
2. There's the law of diminishing returns in working more hours and days.
There has to be some research that provides a point of maximum productivity where these two meet at their optimal level.
Also, new technology and AI make things easier and more productive, so it's not all sweat equity nowadays :)
All in all, there are trade-offs for both approaches. I wish to remain unbiased and say: I don't know. Let's see the data (if there is any).
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@andrian_nimacĀ I think that AI is relatively new here, so more complex data will be available in the future, as market changes in terms of implemented laws regarding work time. These things we discuss (work law) are under bureaucracy, and it takes time to government to adapt to a new technology. š
Well I know that they tried something similar in Belgium, I mean, the government made it possible for companies to do so, however not that many embraced this ideea since its an option for them to aim for, not an obligation. I think that it depends on the company culture, individuals and motivation. With all these pushes for automatisation of tasks, processes and so on, I think we should have more time to spend in nature, with the loved ones, for our personal well-being and so on. This can have a positive impact as well as people who are content tend to do a better job. Advantages and drawbacks but I would personally be happy to have some more time for myself and get those batteries recharged more often
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@viktorgemsĀ That's strange :D I would expect that Belgium will embrace that. They seem to be so progressive.