Why Most Companies Aren’t Ready for a 4-Day Work Week

Many companies are promoting flexible working schedules but fail to provide true flexibility for their employees. The article states that flexibility means allowing employees to shape their work to fit their individual needs regarding how, when, and where they work. According to a recent survey, 59% of employees prefer flexibility over salary or other benefits. Moreover, 77% of them would choose to work for a company that provides the flexibility to work from anywhere over a fancy corporate headquarters. However, this flexibility is conditional upon autonomy, giving employees the ability to make decisions that suit them. One-size-fits-all approaches such as 100% remote, 3-2-2, or 4-day workweeks may not offer the flexibility and autonomy employees desire. To create a work experience that feels truly flexible, companies must focus on solving the right problem and involve employees in the process of creating a solution. The article recommends thinking of flexibility as redesigning how we work to optimize both performance and flexibility.