This past year has seen a surge of companies improving their company benefits, with a specific focus on employees’ mental health. While this is an important goal for employers to have in mind, it’s also worth thinking about whether these work perks will have a long-lasting
positive impact or if they just sound like a good idea.
One of the topics that has been widely discussed is the four-day working week. While it has been said to reduce stress and increase productivity, not everybody has been completely taken by this current trend.
Mark Bracknall, Co-founder and Director of Theo James Recruitment agrees with those who believe that this is just a passing craze within the business world. While it may work within offices, some industries such as the engineering and manufacturing sectors, may struggle to see the same results for employees carrying out manual work.
When speaking of a work life balance, Mark comments that ‘people need to stop thinking that work and life are two different concepts. You are at work for the majority of your life. Stop splitting the two up and learn to enjoy what you do, and if this isn’t possible you could be in the wrong role or you need to change your mindset’.
Commenting on the four-day working week, he argues that just because you love your job, it doesn’t then mean you should be expected to do 70 hours a week. We still need re-charge our batteries and enjoy spending time with family. So, instead of clock watching, which leads to a poor relationship with your job and restricts your ability to reach your potential, learn to work smarter and be more efficient with your time.
As a wider business issue, Mark’s opinion is that slashing to a four-day working week without thinking about HOW people work may only lead to more stress on the job, late nights catching up and a decline in their mental health. His stresses the importance of both senior and junior staff learning to enjoy what they do and work effectively.
At Theo James Recruitment, we do have an early Friday finish. While this does reduce the hours in the week, the team always makes use of their time within the office during the week so at the end of it, they can leave and rest well over the weekend. We then encourage staff to switch off, don’t work from home and spend time with the family!
So, what do you think of the four-day working week?
Are you in need of an expert recruitment agency to find the ideal candidate for your business? Theo James Recruitment specialise in hiring for the manufacturing and engineering sectors.
