The traditional five-day workweek has been the norm for many years, but in recent times, the idea of a four-day workweek has gained popularity. With the hopes of boosting productivity, creativity and quality of life, we at Mad Hat Asia have been experimenting by offering the last Friday* of most months (save for clashes with Public Holidays) off, making for a monthly Mad Long weekend.
*disclaimer: Leading by context this is practiced without compromising urgent communications, activations, social media, and community engagement.
The four-day workweek was also put to the test in the UK, with an overall positive response to the trial. Dubbed the largest trial of its kind, employees at 61 companies across Britain worked an average of 34 hours across four days between June and December 2022, while earning their existing salary. Of those, 56 companies, or 92%, opted to continue like that, 18 of them permanently, as reported by FMT.
The Mad Long Weekend so far
The feedback we have received from the Hatters has been overwhelmingly positive. Many Hatters have reported feeling more creative, constructive with troubleshooting, and more focused on their days at work, as a result of having an extra day off.
However, like with any changes to work schedules, there are both benefits and drawbacks to a four-day workweek. Here are some of the key ones:
Benefits:
Improved rest and personal time: Having an extra day off each week allows Hatters to have more time to relax, spend time with family, pursue hobbies, and run errands without eating into too much of their downtime.
Increased productivity: When we have a shorter workweek, we are more motivated and focused on working effectively during the working days.
Improved mental health: A shorter workweek helps reduce overall stress leading to improved mental health.
Drawbacks:
Condensed daily workload: Shorter period of time to execute the same amount of work, calls for some high productivity. Sometimes, leading to longer work hours.
Difficulty in coordination: While we have gotten better at navigating shorter work-weeks with a healthy dose of forward planning, there have still been occasional challenges in coordinating with partners, clients, or vendors who operate on a different schedule.
So what does this mean for our Mad Long Weekends?
A four-day workweek may not be for everyone, but for those who are willing to give it a try, the benefits can be a game-changer. As we hope to further Mad Long Weekends at Mad Hat Asia, we look forward to seeing how this arrangement will positively impact not only the Hatters' lives, but also our work, as we bring more focused, effective and creatively open minds to our four-day work week.
