Surprising Benefits of a 4-Day Work Week

What would it mean to you to have a 3-day weekend every week? Some regard a 4 day work week as lazy. Others see it as gaining 52 free days each year. Companies that have implemented this new schedule see a 4 day week for what it is: promising and extremely beneficial. In the summer months of 2018, Microsoft Japan extended weekends to 3 days by excluding Friday from part of their workweek. Full-time employees experienced no dip in salary, as they were still paid leave on the Fridays off. The effects of this new policy benefitted the employees by increasing their available free time for families, travel, hobbies, etc. While it might seem far-fetched for this to be permanently implemented, the financial benefits of the four day work week serve as compelling evidence to keep it year-round.  Microsoft Japan experienced a 40% increase in productivity during the 2018 summer months, according to Business Insider. Not only was employee efficiency improved, but maintenance costs like office supplies and electricity were slashed as well. It makes sense financially and socially to cut the workweek down, and other businesses are experimenting with this novel idea. So what is the next step? Why should companies implement this system everywhere? A 4 day work week can mean a more balanced life with more time for the things that make life worth living. Taking back that extra day means that we can reclaim our lives and make them what we want them to be.