Research Proposal Example: Benefits of a Four-day Work Week

Society has informed us that hard work pays and at the same time we are told that working harder and longer is the key to success. However, I believe that the phrase hard work pays should be changed to working smart pays. So what is the difference between these two phrases? Well, the first phrase explains that a person needs to put a lot of effort on something to be successful whereas the second phrase explains that a person needs to be creative and innovative to be successful. Now let us relate these two phrases to the number of working hours. There is a four-day week program and the normal five-day week program. In my opinion, a four-day week program can be compared to the phrase working smart pays while a five-day week program can be compared to the phrase hard work pays. In this assignment, we will examine this four-day week program to determine why it is effective compared to the normal five-day week program.

There are a lot of benefits associated with the four-day week. First, it is said to improve job satisfaction and productivity (Mahoney, 35). Second, any business which implements this kind of a program is likely to attract and retain a large pool of talented personnel. Third, a four-day workweek will improve customer satisfaction since business operations will run for longer periods a day. In fact, extending the number of working hours from eight to ten hours will allow the business to make more contact with their clients.

Problem

The issue of absenteeism is common in workplaces and businesses. Have we ever asked ourselves why absenteeism is common? Well, here is the reason, some employees do lose morale or get tired along the way. And when they lose morale they become resentful of their jobs. As manager of any business, this is the last thing you will want your employees to experience; this is because it will translate to low productivity of your employees. One may argue that there are other factors such as money that can improve the morale of the employees. Well, it is true that money sometimes boosts the morale of the employees. But remember that people are not machines and when they get tired their productivity levels decreases regardless of the monetary rewards (Nord, 63). I believe implementing a four-day week program is the best way to boost the productivity of your employees since the extra day off will have a positive influence on the morale of your employees. An extra day off will enable employees to spend more time with their family which will consequently improve their attitude towards their job.

Nowadays many businesses are failing to attract talented individuals, why? Well, the answer is pretty straightforward many businesses have not adopted appropriate mechanisms to attract these employees. With the growing number of talented millennials entering the workforce, it is essential that businesses change some of their operations to attract this specific group. Millenials tend to have a very different lifestyle compared to the employees from past generations. They value their free time, and they are always reluctant to join institutions which will deprive them some freedom. It is imperative to note that this group is made up of individuals who are highly talented and tech-savvy. A business which implements a four-day work week schedule is likely to attract these group of employees since it is key lifestyle advantage for them.

Customer satisfaction is always the main agenda for most businesses. However, not all businesses meet their clients expectations. One of the key reasons why businesses do not fully cater to the needs of their customers is the inadequate contact time with their clients (Hodge, 26). A four-day week schedule offers ten working hours which is more than enough for businesses to cater to the needs of their clients. One may argue that there are other ways businesses can satisfy their customers and attract talented employees. Well, I say that not even money can change the minds of Millenials at the expense of their freedom. Also, there is no better way to deal with clients than to offer the best customer services which can be effectively provided by the four-day work week schedule.

Solution

So how can a business implement a four-day work week? First, the operations of that business should be condensed and broken into units. Second, the extra-day off should be chosen which is mostly Fridays. Third, the managers of the business should implement the plan. One may ask how a business can condense its operations. Well, this is pretty straightforward, since a four-day work week comes with ten working hours a day. The operations which are supposed to be executed in the extra-day off should be distributed within the four days.

Plan to implement the solution

For any business to implement the above solutions, managers should first consult with their employees to determine how many people want the changes. If many people are happy with the changes, then the managers should not hesitate to implement the solution.

Actionable Close

In conclusion, we notice that a four-day work week is very effective since it improves job satisfaction and productivity among other advantages. I believe if we dont implement this schedule then we will continue experiencing low productivity levels in our businesses. Therefore, I strongly recommend that we implement a four-day week in our businesses. It is high-time that we do things smartly for better results.

Works Cited

Hodge, B. J., and Richard D. Tellier. Employee Reactions to the Four-Day Week. California Management Review, vol. 18, no. 1, 1975, pp. 2530., doi:10.2307/41164622.

Mahoney, Thomas A., et al. Workers Perceptions of the Four-Day Week. California Management Review, vol. 18, no. 1, 1975, pp. 3135., doi:10.2307/41164623.

Nord, Walter R., and Robert Costigan. Worker adjustment to the four-Day week: A longitudinal study. Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 58, no. 1, 1973, pp. 6066., doi:10.1037/h0035419.