An idea that keeps cropping up in the media is the concept of the four day working week. With the pandemic and the great work from home experiment/directive and the ongoing advancements in technology that allow us to be connected from almost anywhere, some have come to the conclusion that the traditional five days a week, 9 to 5 is not for them. And in some cases, their business leaders agree and have instigated a flexible four day week.
Currently, the UK is trialing a six (6) month trial of the four day week that also involves no reduction in pay. Running across seventy companies and involving 3300 workers across a huge cross section of industries from retail to business services, researchers will measure a number of outcomes including the impact on productivity and worker wellbeing. Those involved in the trial have made a commitment to maintain 100% productivity while reducing their working hours to 80%.
Two months in and the feedback is positive with participants reporting a significant improvement in work life balance and mental wellbeing which is resulting in happier and healthier workplaces. Businesses have reported that initially there were challenges, but they have managed to iron out most of the issues and things are running more smoothly as the program progresses.
HR Staff n’ Stuff isn’t suggesting you need to move, or even consider, a four day week as it is very early stages of the experiment, but this research will be interesting to watch, and we will update you on the outcomes when they are available. However, for those struggling with retention or attracting quality candidates in this difficult recruitment period, this may be a benefit that could provide a market edge.
BLOCKING OUT TIME
There is no doubt that busy work is a drain on productivity. All those emails and meetings that chew up time but aren’t allowing any of our employees to truly focus on the work that matters is a problem for most businesses. A UK skincare product has instigated blocks in the workday to support productivity that they call ‘deep thinking time’.
Two hours each morning and again in the afternoon is when employees block out emails, meetings phone calls – anything that distracts from their ability to focus, and they prioritise the work they were essentially employed to do. Results are beyond expectation with projects that had been languishing in the background now up and running and team members excited and feeling fulfilled as they deliver meaningful work product and beat any output expectations.
This is a simple idea that can be easily introduced in many offices. Consider though that we all work to a different internal clock when it comes to when we are at our best for concentration so consider how this could be implemented to best suit your team. Think about locking in in either the morning or the afternoon as two blocks may not allow for the reactive nature of your business.
Or you could individualise the concept and bring in a ‘traffic light’ system where employees get to place a coloured light or a card at their desk that shows green if they are open to interruption or red if they are wanting to get their deep-thinking work done. This would allow you to cater to the needs of the business as well as allowing your team to work to a schedule that allows them to be at their best.
SITTING IS THE NEW SMOKING
I have to admit, as I started to write this section of our blog, I realised just how much I was slouching so I sat up straight and immediately I felt better and more energised. It was both a physical and physiological improvement! But better yet is the ability to stand up and work.
Researchers reviewed productivity output between two groups of call centre workers over six months[1] and those that had the option to lift their desk to allow them to stand and work were 46% more productive than those with the old-fashioned sitting desks! Not only that, after six months, 75% of those with stand up desks reported less physical discomfort (*your writer sits up straight again). And all of this from standing for only 1.6 hours per day on average – small change, big result.
LET THE DOGS OUT (OR IN)
Many of you know that HR Staff n’ Stuff is a dog friendly workplace but it’s not just about loving having our four legged friends with us while we toil. Research shows dogs help reduce stress levels and improve employee job satisfaction. And while you may think that having to take our pooches outside for regular pitstops would be disruptive to a workday, these breaks allow our employees to refresh and this in turn has a positive impact on focus and productivity levels.
You know your business and you will understand if any of these ideas could be applied to your company. Not every concept is viable or applicable to every business but if you are looking to implement positive solutions to boost productivity (with a net side effect on team morale and company culture), then make sure you have a clear and well communicated policy in place BEFORE you go live. Set and manage expectations in advance to minimise any complications that may arise!
If you would like support in improving productivity or the creation of a policy to support a new initiative, contact HR Staff n’ Stuff now and we’ll help set your program up for success.
[1] Call Center Productivity Over 6 Months Following a Standing Desk Intervention: IIE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors: Vol 4, No 2-3 (tandfonline.com)
