【 #職場新氣象 】四天工作周有效降低工作倦怠，企業離職率按年降近2成 Four-day workweek effectively reduces job burnout, company turnover rate decreases nearly 20% annually

近期一項實驗發現，將每周工作日縮短至四天，能有效降低員工的工作倦怠，並同時提高生產力、員工留存率和團隊士氣。專門為職業運動員提供訓練、並為近四分之一財富100強企業實施健康計劃的美國公司Exos，在全球擁有超過三千名員工。Exos於去年春季開始了為期六個月的四天工作周實驗，目前實驗仍在持續中。

實驗期間，員工在完成四天工作後可享受「You Do You Fridays」，他們可選擇休息、工作或安排休閒時間。Exos的固定薪資員工改為每周四天、40小時的工作制，而薪酬保持不變；而領時薪的員工則能依據與經理的協商，在四天工作周內選擇工作32至40小時不等。這項政策的目的是讓員工能夠有彈性地安排休息及有效恢復體能。此外，公司規定星期五不可發送工作信息或安排會議。

「You Do You Fridays」實施後，91%的Exos員工表示他們能更有效率地運用時間，遠高於試驗前的64%。管理層的評估亦顯示員工在試驗前後的工作水平保持一致。縮短工作周讓員工在更短時間內完成更多工作，能顯著提升員工的工作效率。同時，公司的離職率亦從2022年的47%降至2023年的29%。

在實行四天工作周的過程中，公司面臨的挑戰之一是確保員工明白，每周的休假日「不僅是額外的帶薪假期」，而是一個為了重新充電、處理家庭事務或完成未完任務的機會，以減輕工作周的壓力和避免分心。

全球範圍內，包括愛爾蘭、西班牙和英國在內的數十個國家已進行四天工作周的測試，得出極為正面的結果。有參與六個月試驗的英國企業反映，四天工作周提升了生產力、士氣及團隊文化。根據2023年7月Bankrate的報告顯示，約81%的美國全職工作者支持四天工作周。隨著越來越多商界領袖和億萬富翁看好這一趨勢，靈活的工作周日益成為新常態。

A recent experiment has found that shortening the workweek to four days can effectively reduce employee burnout, while also increasing productivity, retention rates, and team morale. Exos, a U.S. company specializing in training professional athletes and implementing health programs for nearly a quarter of the Fortune 100 companies, has more than three thousand employees worldwide. Last spring, Exos began a six-month trial of the four-day workweek, which is still ongoing.

During the trial, employees enjoyed "You Do You Fridays," where they could choose to rest, work, or arrange leisure time. Exos's salaried employees shifted to a four-day, 40-hour workweek with unchanged pay; hourly-paid employees could choose to work between 32 to 40 hours within the four-day workweek, based on personal and managerial agreement. The policy aims to allow employees flexible scheduling for rest and effective recovery. Additionally, the company mandated that no work communications or meetings should be arranged on Fridays.

After implementing "You Do You Fridays," 91% of Exos's employees reported more efficient time usage, a significant increase from 64% before the trial. Management evaluations also indicated that employee performance levels remained consistent before and after the trial. Shortening the workweek allowed employees to complete more work in less time, significantly boosting their work efficiency. Meanwhile, the company's turnover rate decreased from 47% in 2022 to 29% in 2023.

One of the challenges in implementing the four-day workweek was ensuring employees understood that the additional day off was not just another paid vacation, but an opportunity to recharge, handle personal affairs, or complete unfinished tasks, thereby reducing stress and distractions during the workweek.

Globally, dozens of countries, including Ireland, Spain, and the UK, have tested the four-day workweek, showing extremely positive results. Businesses participating in a six-month trial in the UK reported that the four-day workweek improved productivity, morale, and team culture. According to a July 2023 Bankrate report, approximately 81% of full-time workers in the U.S. support the four-day workweek. As more business leaders and billionaires favour this trend, flexible workweeks are increasingly becoming the new normal.