What is compressed work week?
A compressed work week is a way of organizing the work week so that employees work the same number of hours over fewer days. This means that employees will have more working hours during the workday, but also more days off as a result. Shortened or compressed work weeks are becoming increasingly popular as they provide more flexibility for employees and also help employers reduce overtime costs. For example, an employee may work four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days, allowing them to have a three-day weekend or an extra day off during the week. This can help employees better organize their work-life balance, while employers can increase efficiency and reduce costs.
Sometimes a compressed work week is defined as a 4-day work week without an increase in working hours per day, which implies a reduction in working hours in general and revolutionizes the concept of the work week. Some countries, such as Sweden have already experimented with transferring employees to a 4-day work week, and the results have shown that employee engagement has increased, and companies have not lost profit by eliminating one full working day. It is important to understand that this also preserves the cost of employee salaries, as a 4-day work week means full pay.