The idea of a 4-day workweek is more popular than ever among US workers, according to a new poll
- A recent survey by The Harris Poll showed that 82% of employed Americans would rather have a shorter workweek, even if it meant longer work days.
- The coronavirus pandemic pushed workers to reconsider how they manage their relationship with their job, including scheduling.
- A 4-day workweek is gaining popularity among workers, according to a report by the New York Post. Studies and trials of the model also show it helps workers' productivity and well-being.
The 4-day workweek model is gaining popularity as workers rethink their relationship with their job in a world reshaped by the novel coronavirus.
A recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll found that 82% of employed Americans would prefer longer workdays if it meant shorter weeks, according to a report by the New York Post. Within the group of respondents, 71% believe they would be more effective if the week was shortened.
During the pandemic, considerations of working from home and maintaining a work-life-balance became more relevant. And as Americans adapt to a new reality living with the coronavirus, workers want to see their workplaces adapt too.
Support for the 4-day workweek grew since this time last year when a poll by Marketplace-Edison Research found that 63% of US workers were in favor of the switch, the New York Post reported.
And, according to The Harris Poll, which drew responses from 1,965 US adults online from May 29 to May 31, 48% surveyed said they would return to their office once government guidance allowed and 39% of urban dwellers said they are considering living in less-populated areas.
But the 4-day workweek isn't just gaining popularity among workers as preferences change because of the pandemic. Other studies have shown that a 4-day workweek increases worker satisfaction and productivity. Microsoft's Japan subsidiary reported a 40% boost in productivity after trying out the adjusted schedule.
Andrew Yang, entrepreneur and former US presidential candidate, is a proponent of transitioning to a 4-day workweek and touts the shift as having the potential to help boost workers' mental health and offer more opportunities for those with unique schedules or needs.
"We should seriously look at 4-day workweeks," Yang said in a tweet. "Studies show that we would be just as productive."
Despite mounting enthusiasm for a 4-day workweek, studies showing its benefits, and companies testing its effectiveness, most US companies — and those around the world — have yet to take the leap.