Dare we dream of swapping the 5 day work week for a 4 day weekend? According to a recent interview with Bill Gates, we could be heading that way, although it may not be for some time.
As the 4-day workweek movement gathers momentum, with plenty of successful trials bolstering confidence in the scheme, could the 3-day week be next?
Gates attributes the possibility of a shorter workweek to the aid of AI, although in other parts of the world, the workweek is getting extended, with Greece recently introducing a six day week, and South Korea following suit in some industries.
Bill Gates Predicts the 3-Day Workweek
In Trevor Noah’s What Now podcast, aired this week, Gates told Noah that an increase in dependence on tech meant that we could get to a point as a society where a three day work week is probable.
“If you eventually get a society where you only have to work three days a week, that’s probably OK”, mused Gates, stating that machines can handle the mundane daily tasks such as ‘making the food and stuff’.
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It’s a stark contrast to the fear mongering around AI taking jobs, or even ending civilization as we know it, instead painting a much more idyllic picture of a tech-enhanced future.
The Rise of the 4-Day Workweek
Before we can get to the 3-day week, we need to agree on a the 4-day workweek, first. The positive news is that there are plenty of studies that have taken place, and that are still underway, that show that businesses can not just cope with a shorter week, but thrive.
One of the biggest studies to date, a UK pilot that involved 61 companies, was heralded as a huge success, with 56 of those companies that took part stating that they would continue with the 4-day week after the trial.
We’re also seeing more and more companies, in the US and globally, adopting a 4-day workweek. Among those that are offering the benefit are Amazon, Microsoft and Kickstarter. If you’re craving a shorter week, it might be worth brushing up your resume and checking out the companies that offer a 4-day week.
Need-to-know statistics about the 4-day workweek
The 6-Day Workweek?
While many of us are looking forward to the utopia of a three of four day week, there are other workers out there who aren’t quite as lucky.
Spare a thought for the Greek workers who have been asked to work an extra day, as the company struggles to prop up a dwindling economy. The move mainly affects the agricultural and service sectors, and those who are asked to work a sixth day can expect a supplement of 40% of their daily wage.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow for Greek workers, who already work the longest hours in Europe.
Other countries may be set to follow Greece. Several influential companies in South Korea have started exploring the 6-day week, asking managers to work longer in response to weak consumer spending.
The good news is that extending the workweek is an anomaly, and the 4-day workweek is seen as the future by more and more companies each day. We may be some way off Bill Gates’ dream of the 3-day week, but a shorter work week is certainly within reaching distance.
If you’d like to experience the 4-day workweek, why not ask your manager?
