During the Covid 19 era, the world experienced the working for home lifestyle like we never did before. And many countries and companies, till today, still implement a day or two per week, for working from home for its employees, for different motives. Regardless of the reason behind it, the world can’t seem to get over the idea of spending less time at the workplace. In some countries, governments are considering implemeting a four-day workweek for all employees, which is a very contraversial topic.
on one hand, some people argue that this will improve the work-life balance and productivity, as the number of working hours and working days isn’t directly translated into productivity . In fact, a well rested individual, with strong human connections and regular social interactions with his family members and friends, is more likely to be productive and creative in his working hours than a burntout individual. A person who have time to exercise, practice new activities, read, travel and explore new aspects of life outside of work, is a person whose body and mind are better equipped to fulfill the job’s requirements. Hence the importance of reducing the number of working days to achieve this work-life balance.
on the other hand, since we live in a world ruled by capitalism, some may argue that reducing the number of working days to just four may harm the economy and job competitiveness. In fact, less working hours could reflect into less output or hitting targets in longer periods of time which could make companies loose huge amounts of money. Employees may become less competitive, which could affect their productivity dramatically.
In my personal opinion, balance is key in all aspects of life. And while I think it would be great if this decision was implemented in corporates and many governmental sectors, yet, I believe such decision can’t be implemented accross all fields as some jobs are more critical than others, and require substantial woking hours and days for the personal development of its personnel as well as the nature of the job itself.
