A 4-day work week in Poland is not just a utopian vision for many employees but a project that could become a reality. Minister of Labor and Social Policy Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk has announced that work on such legislation will begin in the Polish Parliament this fall. What does this possibility mean for companies, employers, and employees, and what are the benefits and risks associated with a shorter work week?
The idea of a shorter work week should not surprise anyone. It is a natural result of current trends in the business market. Work-life balance, wellbeing, and care for mental health are values close to most employees. According to research by They.pl and SGH regarding Generation Z, who are storming the labor market, as many as 94% of them consider the care for employees’ mental health by employers to be very important.
As many as 75% of surveyed employees declare that they feel the negative effects of overtime and the stress caused by it. Among the problems they mention are irritability, annoyance, sleep problems, fatigue, and stomach issues, according to a report by Hays Poland. Younger colleagues, observing their overworked older counterparts, who often struggle with stress or burnout, know what they want to avoid.
Poland ranks very high in terms of overwork. According to Eurostat data, our country is in the top five most overworked in the European Union. As a nation, we spend an average of 39.7 hours a week at work. Considering these statistics, little time is left for employees to take care of themselves, their health, relationships with loved ones, or rest.
So how do fellow citizens view the potential change in the number of hours spent at the desk? According to a survey conducted by IBRiS for Radio ZET, 47% of respondents are willing to introduce a 4-day work week while maintaining their current salary. And how would such a change look in practice?
4-Day Work Week in Practice
There are two possible ways to shorten employees’ working hours, both assuming a 35-hour work week. One of them is working from Monday to Thursday in 9-hour blocks and one 8-hour block. The other option is to shorten the working hours to 6 hours a day but keep the 5-day work week. According to a survey by ClickMeeting, 70% of respondents would prefer a shortened work week by one day over working two hours less each day.
Shorter Work Week – Opportunities and Positive Effects
From an employee’s perspective, the obvious direct benefit of such a change is shorter working hours and more free time that can be dedicated to hobbies or deepening personal relationships. However, there are also long-term positive benefits. A rested employee is an effective, engaged, and creative employee. Thanks to the balance between work and private life, the employee can carry out the tasks set before them with due diligence. This is also associated with greater motivation, concentration, and a positive attitude. It also influences the shift towards a task-oriented work model. In this model, the key is the results of tasks completed on time, not the hours spent at the computer.
Changing from a 5-day or 40-hour work week could thus positively impact both team efficiency and the atmosphere within the organization. And this is a significant value for the employer.
Statistics confirm this, as 68% of employees believe that a 4-day work week would positively affect their mental health and wellbeing, according to a study by Personnel Service. Meanwhile, a ManpowerGroup report tells us that as many as 93% of employees noticed that the flexibility provided by their employer has so far improved the quality of their work.
Another benefit from the supervisor’s perspective is the likelihood of fewer absences and, consequently, less employee turnover. A valuable tool that helps employers verify employee absences is the Absence module from Ostendi. This solution allows for an overview of the number of vacations, sick leaves, and absences of employees in the long term. In this way, potential problems can be mapped out or potential employee departures can be prevented. Therefore, while waiting for the Parliament’s decision, it is worth recognizing the current situation of your company to understand how such a change could affect its functioning.
35-Hour Work Week – Challenges and Risks
Implementing such a significant change in the functioning of an organization will undoubtedly pose a challenge for HR professionals, managers, and business owners. The biggest difficulty and concern is whether employees will be able to complete all assigned tasks in a shorter time without significant delays and resulting losses for the organization. Working at a fast pace and under time pressure can also be accompanied by stress, leading to inaccuracies or frequent mistakes in activities. On the other hand, exposing employees to prolonged pressure and nerves can prove just as destructive and demotivating as a longer work week.
However, the argument that can prevent such a future is the rapidly advancing technological development and, consequently, the automation of many processes. Thanks to artificial intelligence, many tedious, repetitive, or time-consuming tasks are being taken off the shoulders of employees. AI can perform these tasks, giving employees time to complete more engaging and intellectually demanding tasks. As a result, employees may be able to complete the same amount of work in a shorter and more efficient manner. All that remains is to observe the potential changes, verify the current situation of the organization, and prepare for the smooth implementation of any changes.
