Is A 4-Day Workweek The Game-Changing “Solution” To The Overworking Epidemic? Or, A Hypocritical Ploy To Assuage Societal Concerns
Can shortening the workweek help the epidemic of stress and burnout, or is it yet another instance of not addressing “systemic” issues causing severe mental health problems, especially among those under 30?
There is an acute mental health crisis among us, especially after the pandemic, and it is high time we acknowledged the problem and addressed it. With high rates of burnout and stress taking their toll on the present workforce, it is not surprising that nearly 50% of them are either contemplating quitting their jobs or have already done so. Indeed, the latest Microsoft Work Trends Report points out that the Great Resignation, the term used for the trend of professionals quitting en mass, has worried many business leaders such as Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella of Google and Microsoft respectively. As a response to this and other trends such as Millennials and Gen Zers making up the majority of those resigning their jobs, a 4 Day Workweek has been proposed as a partial solution to “arrest the attrition”. This 4-Day Workweek has already been implemented in leading firms such as Panasonic and…
