With the recession deepening, many companies are taking this as a signal to start putting tighter controls on their employees.
This includes more directing messages around returning to the office and a recap of the flexible work opportunities employees have grown accustomed to over the past two years.
When times seem uncertain, many people are defaulting to old practices that seem safe and familiar: which more often than not, means ‘command and control’.
From a management perspective, this makes sense: tough times require hard work, and the only way to ensure employees give their best is to leave them under the supervision of leaders.
Leaders may also think that workers are more likely to hustle (read: booked for longer periods) if they are surrounded by colleagues and management: no one wants to be stigmatized in relation to being the first to leave the office in a time of crisis.
But I think this logic is flawed. In fact, I’d go further and suggest that a recession is probably the best time to try something completely new: something like a four-day workweek.
“Insanity!” I hear you cry. Allow me to convince you otherwise.
Boosting – or at least sustaining – productivity will be essential for organizations struggling to profit as they enter difficult economic waters. This will become even more difficult as companies cut budgets, freeze hiring and, in the worst cases, lay off employees – leaving many organizations to do more with less.
Employees can expect to see their workload increase. But the teams were feeling the tension the result of a widening skills gap in companies and a constant migration of talent, leading to disturbing levels of burnout and absenteeism. Throws longer time, more aggressive goals and forced return to the office into the mix, and it doesn’t take a business savvy to understand why an employer’s attempt to heat up can lead to disaster.
It is increasingly recognized that reducing working hours has many benefits for businesses, including boosting productivity. The trials are going on for a four-day week This claim is backed by more than 100 companies around the world, as well as testimonies from a growing number of companies that have independently tested or implemented a four-day workweek.
The science behind it is pretty simple: People are more productive in less time, and employees have more time to rest, recharge, and recuperate. more force. As a result, absenteeism and attrition decrease, while recruiting power increases. Certainly, this is something every leader should strive for, regardless of the current economic situation.
There’s another reason why employers should think seriously about testing a four-day week. As inflation soars and companies tighten their finances, salary doesn’t keep up with cost of living. Demand for skilled workers remains high, and highly qualified professionals are in high demand by hiring managers desperate to fill talent gaps and grow.
Recession or not, the loss of great talent is something all organizations want to avoid. If employers can’t incentivize their best employees to stay, there’s little to stop them from going elsewhere.
If a raise is up for grabs, surely the next best thing – or maybe even better – is to provide a four-day week with no loss of pay? Chances are many employees will choose a three-day weekend to earn a few extra dollars in their bank accounts each month, especially now that so many are taking extra steps to preserve their balance. by their lives and work – even if that means quit their job.
Companies don’t want to take risks during a recession, and that makes sense. But that doesn’t mean going back to the old ways is the right approach. On the contrary, now is the best time for employers to look for ways to materially improve employee productivity, motivation and job satisfaction, especially when there is so much pressure both internally and externally. outside of work. pull the staff down.
One of the great dangers of a recession is that businesses are afraid of change. But since four days a week is something companies can do at zero cost, the potential benefits it can offer – increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, employee retention more and happier, more committed employees – apparently significantly outweighing the cost. .
As leaders look ahead to the next 12 months, they too should ask themselves this: Do they want to move forward or backward?
Employees will not easily give up the freedoms that have given them a better work-life balance. And asking workers to pay the extra cost of commuting and getting to the office each day without a financial or practical incentive to do so won’t inspire the commitment needed to get the business through. these difficult times.
The only option is to keep moving forward, and this means continuing to make meaningful investments in an organization’s most valuable asset: its people.
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