Digital Jobs: The 4-day work week in Digital
Are more digital jobs embracing the 4-day work week? The topic has become a huge trend in many professional industries. Work-life balance and well-being continue to be important, so this new trend plays a big part in these discussions.
Will we see the 4-day working week in digital grow? With companies working on their talent attraction and staff retention strategies, it’s likely we’re going to hear more about it in 2023.
Where in the world is the 4-day work week taking off?
The rise of the 4-day working week was seen as a long time coming. Working in digital recruitment across Europe has allowed us to see just how much it has taken off. One of the first countries was Iceland, running a trial from 2015 to 2019.
Of course, the pandemic caused a shift in attitudes. Not only was remote working the norm, more companies looked towards a 4-day working week to further improve the well-being and productivity of their teams. Belgium and Ireland implemented more flexible benefits across many companies.
We can’t ignore the trends in the UK, obviously! In June 2022, the biggest trial of the 4-day week took part with many companies seeing positive results. We also like to think the TechNET Digital team have great insights into this…we actually follow a 4-day work week. Along with our sister brands within Ascent Group, we introduced this initiative to improve the happiness and performance of our teams. We haven’t looked back since!
Is the digital industry suited to a 4-day week?
For many within digital,working remotely is a pretty easy thing to do. With so much of their work being done online, they can transition seamlessly between office and home. So, it seems like digital professionals could also adapt their workload to a 4-day week too!
The main question around this initiative has been if it has the longevity to work. You might think what a great benefit it is, while others struggle to fit their workload around 4 days. As a result, would these people end up doing more overtime then they would have previously? However, there are many who believe a 4-day week is something they would like in their professional lives.
Digital jobs are evolving. Furthermore, work done by 4-day week advocates is proving successful within digital. The CEO of Four Day Week Global, Joe O’Connor, leads pilot programs to help companies make this transition. Many shared the sentiments that it was “the cheapest, most efficient process improvement strategy.”
From improving productivity and happiness to reducing a companies carbon footprint, the benefits within digital are plain to see.
Can a company trial a 4-day week?
Absolutely…think of it as trial and error! If it doesn’t work for one company, it doesn’t mean it won’t work for an entire industry. Ultimately, companies need to start slow should they desire a successful 4-day work week.
There has been plenty of talk around the ‘great resignation’, where many people looked for a better work-life balance and a flexible schedule. So, a simple trial will demonstrate a company is taking steps to improve life for their employees. A popular way to test the longevity of a 4-day week is to choose one week per month where it is conducted. Either the whole team has the same day off, or a rotation is in place so that presence in the office remains five days a week.
Looking for digital jobs in 2023?
If a new job is on the horizon, let us help you! It could be you’re looking for a better work-life balance? Well, we work with some of the most forward thinking companies in the digital world. Submit your CV today and we will be in touch to discuss your next step!
