Maryland is taking aim at burnout. Why we need the 4-Day Workweek.

Feb 6

The Complete Guide to Implementing a Four-Day Workweek

CNN is one of many news sites highlighting the interest and shift to the Four-Day Workweek.

We need a four-day workweek (4DWW)as an option for many workplaces.

Not a day goes by when news outlets aren’t covering the four-day workweek. CNN, among many outlets, has been covering something powerful happening in Maryland.

It’s amazing to hear more employers thinking about the four-day workweek. When I implemented this at a nonprofit last year, we learned just how valuable a shorter workweek can be. Check out my post.

As I mentioned in my longer guide on how to implement the 4DWW, the benefits can be pretty compelling and it may cost employers nothing to implement. As the CNN story writes, and many others confirm, the data keeps pouring in that productivity stays the same or improves which is a no-brainer in my mind. The state even plans to subsidize the shift because they see the benefits for workers.

What Maryland, and other jurisdictions, are trying to do is to incentivize more adoption so we can modernize a post-pandemic workplace but also make Maryland a competitive place for workers and employers.

Here are a few reasons why we need a four-day workweek…soon:

The economy is all over the place. Even though unemployment has been low for years, the middle and working class are still struggling because of the Pandemic, wage stagnation, union stagnation, job insecurity, and other challenges. The stock market, home prices, and cryptocurrencies are also all over the place. People want reliability and certainty, in wages and in available work/shifts. If they can’t get that in this market they might as well get more flexibility or rest or work-life balance. Many people have started side hustles and the four-day workweek enables people to pursue side projects for money or joy.
Productivity has gone up, up, up for decades. We blinked and didn’t notice, but because of technology, transportation, and other factors, people are producing more now than ever before. But working faster and smarter hasn’t led to higher wages. I think it’s OK to rethink productivity. What if workers produce more AND have more rest AND love their job more? I think the 4DWW could be part of the solution.
The Great Resignation has pushed many people to find different jobs or leave the job market entirely. This leads to lots of instability, lots of change, and frankly lots of wasted money and energy searching, recruiting, onboarding, and training people. Human resources professionals have been warning us for decades about the costs of losing talented people. It’s not too late to let workplaces innovate so they can hold onto their best people.
Burnout is real. We don’t get the best work from people if they don’t love what they do. I suffered major burnout in 2022 and when Fridays came and I had the option to shift into a lower gear, it really made my time with family and pets so much better. We all have chores and responsibilities outside of work, so it’s not like weekends were filled with sleeping and bonbons for most of us.

The list goes on, but I am excited to see the press getting on board with this trend.

What is a Four-Day Workweek?

The four-day workweek (4DWW) is a shift from the more standard five-day workweek (Monday to Friday) for salaried full-time employees. The five-day workweek is common in the US and many western countries for white-collar, professional, and service-sector careers. The four-day workweek usually entails a reduction in the number of hours worked between Monday and Friday so that only four days are required for work.

There are a variety of ways to implement a four-day workweek, including longer hours during the four official working days or even alternating the expected work days. Some employers simply change their requirements about what hours employees are expected to be productive and/or available to managers and coworkers. Keep reading for a list of different models.