The popularity of the four-day workweek is spreading nationwide, despite a 32-hour workweek pilot program and study being shot down in the Maryland legislature earlier this year.
While it may be hard to wrap your head around consistent three-day weekends, a new Bankrate study finds many workers are willing to sacrifice other job perks to work less hours.
WTOP anchor Dimitri Sotis spoke to Bankrate analyst Sarah Foster to break down the survey’s results, which also found that the shorter work week is extremely popular, especially among younger workers.
Read the conversation below:
Sarah Foster: I think it’s safe to assume that many workers, in fact, most workers would probably prefer a four-day workweek. We saw that the interest was higher for younger generations, and by younger generations, I mean Gen Z and millennials. And the reason why I think we can assume that is because they seem to be indicating that they are willing to take all of the sacrifices in order to get that shorter workweek. Ninety-two percent of them would take at least one step, and those steps include anything from working longer hours, changing jobs, or companies even coming into the office or giving up remote work and taking a pay cut.
Dimitri Sotis: Well, what about benefits? Does that figure in at all, or I suppose, you know, four days or five days, hopefully, you’d still get some health insurance and some other benefits, sick days, vacation days?
Sarah Foster: Well, interestingly enough, we did see that 20% of younger generations are willing to take fewer vacation days, or give up some vacation time for that four-day workweek as far as benefits go. But, when you kind of ask yourself, maybe why they are willing to do that, it’s because they would probably be technically getting a permanent three-day weekend. So I think there seems to be some differences in the way Americans are weighing these work-life balance factors. Obviously, remote work, for example, could contribute to flexibility, but so could a four-day workweek too. And when you judge those trade-offs, maybe Americans would rather take that extra third day a week off.
Dimitri Sotis: Despite all the talk, the discussion that we’re having and people are having all over the world, four day workweeks are not really offered in most American offices. What advice do you have for anybody that wants to sit down across the desk from the boss to bring this up?
Sarah Foster: Yeah, and that is the key takeaway. It seems like there’s lots of interest, but very few jobs to meet that demand. I would say it’s important to really start small and work your way up to a four-day workweek. Negotiating for flexibility can feel maybe more awkward than negotiating for a promotion or higher pay, but you approach it the same way. Think about the value of the work that you do, know how to talk about the business case of switching to that shorter schedule, and then, suggest a game plan. But sometimes, you might find it a little bit easier if the company that you’re interested in negotiating with already has some sort of workplace flexibility policy. And we do see flavors of the four day workweek, like Summer Fridays, for example, or monthly recharge days, also coming up into the workforce too.
Dimitri Sotis: Very interesting. I think one of the critical things you said, I mean it was all important, is that if people really want to get their employees back to the office, just offer four days a week. They’re willing to give up remote for that. That’s amazing.
Sarah Foster: Yeah, it seems to be that’s really what Americans are pushing for.
