The old adage “Location! Location! Location!” has seen exponential decreases in workplace relevancy — particularly among women. Research highlights that flexible work hours, when rather than where, are crucial for retaining and engaging women in the workforce. With more women employed today than pre-pandemic and millions more expected to enter the workforce over the next decade, employers must pay attention to the significant correlation between reducing workforce entry barriers — like child care, pay inequity, flexibility — and women’s intent to stay with their employer.
It’s part of the reason why I firmly believe the four-day workweek could catalyze gender equality by promoting opportunity for women through a fairer distribution of familial and household duties we’ve traditionally shouldered. It would help level the playing field, empowering women to thrive in their careers without sacrificing personal lives.
The Need for Flexibility
In today’s fast-paced world, the lines between professional and personal life have become increasingly blurred, leading to a concerning rise in mental health issues among workers. In the U.S., 52 percent of all workers report experiencing burnout, with women (46 percent) reporting higher levels of burnout than men (37 percent). That may be due to something I’ve written about: “many women find themselves juggling ‘three shifts’—the responsibilities of home and family; the demands of their jobs; and additional responsibilities at work.
”The pace of change exacerbates women’s experience with burnout, and it is undeniable: technology dramatically increases our ability to collaborate across borders and time zones; quiet quitting and quiet firing are eroding the foundation of trust within organizations; and more than five generations exist in the workforce together for the first time creating new dynamics. These changes demand a new social contract between employees and employers.
As we navigate this evolving landscape, it is imperative to prioritize initiatives that promote work-life harmony. While often mistaken as interchangeable, work-life balance and harmony hold distinct meanings. Work-life balance pertains to allocating time between professional responsibilities and personal pursuits. Conversely, work-life harmony transcends time management, emphasizing the seamless integration of work and personal life to cultivate fulfillment.
Employees assess their workplace not only based on compensation, fringe benefits, or titles, but six in 10 say they would stay with or leave their organization based on aligned values. The movement towards shorter workweeks, such as Senator Bernie Sanders’s proposed 32-hour workweek, reflects a growing interest in alternatives to the traditional 40-hour workweek introduced by the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1940. Once the rallying cry of labor rights advocates, this 40-hour standard no longer fits the world we live in today.
Benefits of a Four-Day Workweek
Many opponents argue that reducing the workweek could harm productivity and interrupt operations. Despite those misconceptions, the four-day workweek is gaining momentum as more organizations have experienced its proven benefits to employees and employers, which include: increased productivity, reduced overhead costs, improved retention, and reduced employee burnout. A U.S. pilot study showed that after transitioning to the four-day workweek, 69 percent of employees experienced reductions in burnout, 40 percent felt less stressed, 74 percent were more satisfied with their time, and 60 percent reported reduced conflict in their lives. Employers also report it improved employee retention, lowered overhead costs, and reduced sick leave and burnout. Meanwhile, 95 percent of companies that pilot a four-day workweek have stayed with the new schedule.
Organizations Finding Success
Real-life examples of what a shift to a four-day workweek can look like in organizations exist across industries; for example, Common Future moved to a four-day workweek in 2021. I spoke with their co-CEO Jennifer Njuguna, to capture her thoughts on how organizations can move towards piloting a four-day workweek. Njuguna said, “One helpful approach is breaking it down into more manageable pieces. Running a pilot, for instance, communicates that you’re testing a hypothesis. It gives you a chance to see what works.” In 2023, WorkFour partnered with 4 Day Week Global to launch the first-ever U.S. pilot test of a four-day workweek. Trial results show that the pilot results have since returned 70,000 days of free time to workers, with no evidence of decreased productivity. WorkFour Executive Director Vishal Reddy emphasizes, “No organization needs to be the first; there are already trailblazers across industries and geographies. We now have a toolbox of examples to refer to for implementation.” This toolbox includes a list of over 200 organizations that have implemented four-day workweeks and 10 states that have introduced bills for a four-day workweek.
Other approaches that can complement a four-day workweek to help bolster equity for women in the workplace include compensation audits, co-leadership models, child care subsidies, and the Right to Disconnect movement in California, which would guarantee uninterrupted personal time and shorter work hours. These progressive approaches work together and underscore the proven benefits of flexibility—employers achieve higher performance, and employees gain greater work-life harmony. According to Gallup, disengaged employees cost businesses between $450 billion and $550 billion yearly due to 37 percent higher absenteeism, up to an 18 percent decline in productivity, and decreased customer satisfaction. Reductions in burnout and increased flexibility for time spent with family and friends can open doors to a more equitable workplace by helping center workers, often left out of the conversation, women and working mothers. Instead, we can empower women to maintain greater harmony between their professional and personal lives.
Prioritizing time flexibility for women in the workplace is not just a matter of choice but a strategic imperative; it signals current and potential employees that the organization values their well-being and respects their boundaries, leading to higher retention rates and a more inclusive workforce. Where an organization stands on this issue is of utmost importance because 40 percent of employees report they would quit their jobs if they did not agree with their employer’s stance on key issues. By championing work-life harmony initiatives, leaders can create a more inclusive and supportive work environment, benefiting individuals and organizations. Let’s encourage our leaders—CEOs, managers, and policymakers—to support choices that improve mental health and reverse the epidemic of burnout.
Amira Barger is an executive vice president at a global communications firm, providing diversity, equity and inclusion counsel. She is also a professor of change management, marketing and communications at Cal State East Bay. Follow her here. Views are the author’s own