Would A Four-Day Work Week Actually Work?

Source: DHgate, Tag: E-Commerce Tips

With more companies shifting to a more realistic work environment, we find out if a four day week would actually work in a nine to five world?

  • Working nine to five has become a conditioned way of life in which the five-day work week has always been the norm for many workers. But with the rise of digital start-up entrepreneurs and remote freelancers as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic rethinking the importance of mental health and workplace flexibility, is it time that we ditch the traditional working week and start moving towards a four-day working week?
    Many countries regulate the work week by law with this duration of paid labour different depending on which part of the globe and the job position you find yourself in.

The e-commerce industry is a sector that operates around the clock as the demands of fast buyer consumption mean that logistics operations and stock inventory require 24/7 implementation and execution. But while the worldwide e-commerce consumer demands for buying and selling of goods mean that a five-day working week is essential for business needs, could a reduced working week work in other public and private sectors?
While many companies talk about enrolling on a four-day working week,
Microsoft Japan actually tested out the concept with surprising results. Conducting a recent one-month experiment, Microsoft Japan said its productivity increased by 40%. According to Microsoft Japan, they were able to increase productivity by giving its 2,300 full-time employees a paid day off on Fridays. The one-month experiment also saw meetings being capped to a maximum length of 30 minutes with employees saying they found an increase in job satisfaction and lower stress levels. Microsoft Japan has since reverted back to a five-day working week but may look to conducting another four-day working week in the future.
In the UK, the Labour Party (the opposition party to the current UK Government) have continuously pledged to reduce the average working week to 32 hours a week within the next decade if they are ever elected into government. In 2022, as the UK found its COVID-19 social restrictions lifted and workplaces began to see employees return to the office after almost spending two years working remotely from home, some 70 UK companies and 3,000 employees signed up for a
six-month pilot programme that will follow the 100:80:100 model – 100 per cent of the pay for 80 per cent of the time, in exchange for a commitment to maintaining at least 100 per cent productivity.
But while workers may jump at the chance to work throughout the week, financial and job sector experts claim the purposed reduced working week would cost the taxpayer £17 billion a year due to the impact on the public sector wage bill.
How would a four-day work week affect workers?
While a four-day working week sounds utopian for employees, in theory, there are a lot of pitfalls, most noticeably the negative impact on unskilled workers and care workers on zero-hours who need the hours to get paid. Having a reduced working week may result in workers becoming reliant on Government handouts and benefits if the hours, they are able to work become capped. And while a reduced working week may sound undemanding, there will still be tasks that require a full working week to complete. This could mean that staff may have to work long hours throughout the day to make up for the loss of time.
Does one shoe fit all?
While some industries may be able to adapt to a four-day working week over time, other sectors such as Uber and the retail and hospitality industry would inevitably suffer as workers are forced to continue to work longer and often unpredictable hours. Nevertheless, this scenario doesn’t seem to faze most employees, as according to YouGov data, 63% of workers support a four-day full-time working week.
So, would a four-day working week actually work? The answer is that nobody really knows for sure. While some industries would be able to adapt to the four-day working week, other sectors would ultimately find it difficult and end up forcing people to work less with lower wages and fewer opportunities. Workers should feel empowered to be able to make decisions that best suit them, and that included not capping them on the number of hours they work and the money that they can earn.
To experience the successful expansion of your e-commerce business required work ethic, dedication and time that cannot simply be measured by the basic structure of nine to five. An online buyer of goods needs to be aware of potential opportunities to buy and sell for a profit at all times.
According to
eMarketer, in 2022, global retail e-commerce sales will surpass $5 trillion for the first time, with China leading the way in overall online sales globally. If you want to achieve success in the e-commerce market the opportunities are there for those willing to go the extra mile.