Working It8 Helmi 2022

Get ready for the four-day working week

Who wouldn’t want to have a regular paid day off to go surfing, take a long walk - or to care for family members?

During the pandemic a growing number of companies have been experimenting with four-day weeks and in this episode Isabel talks to Andrew Barnes, founder of 4 Day Week Global, a non-profit organisation that helps companies switch to a more flexible working week.

Andrew first brought in four-day working weeks at his own company in New Zealand, and found productivity and staff happiness rocketed. Isabel also talks to the FT’s Emma Jacobs, who has written about the benefits - and drawbacks–of four-day working. There are many reasons why corporate leaders don’t like the idea - not least because some of them confuse presenteeism with productivity. But are these objections valid? Or could a shortened working week on full pay even be a way for bosses to hold on to staff - and halt the Great Resignation?

Want to read more?

Pilita Clark’s FT column ‘Get ready for the four-day working week’ https://www.ft.com/content/c5d83853-682e-4076-81c1-813b246309f8

Emma Jacobs’ feature on shorter working weeks during the pandemic https://www.ft.com/content/2973bdb4-aef7-4766-b4a5-3f83dd0d667f

Emma’s interview with Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, an expert on shorter working weeks https://www.ft.com/content/7bb06122-57d0-11ea-abe5-8e03987b7b20

Andrew Barnes’ organisation 4 Day Week Global has lots of resources https://www.4dayweek.com/

We love to hear from you. What do you like (or not)? What topics should we tackle in 2022? Email the team at workingit@ft.com or Isabel directly at isabel.berwick@ft.com. Follow @isabelberwick on Twitter

Subscribe to Working It wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe!

Presented by Isabel Berwick. Editorial direction from Renée Kaplan. Assistant producer is Persis Love. Sound design is by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music. Produced by Novel.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(175)

Finale: How work has changed since we started this show

After more than three years, and 153 episodes, this is the final Working It podcast. Isabel Berwick gathers three colleagues (and friends) to discuss what they’ve learned about the world of work since...

28 Tammi 202526min

Why being a CEO is so lonely (and how to fix that)

Running a business is rewarding in plenty of ways – not least in terms of salary. But it can also be extremely lonely. Having friends at work becomes complicated (or even impossible), and you can’t be...

21 Tammi 202515min

The science of better workplace conversations

What can we learn about the way we speak by analysing thousands of everyday conversations? That’s a question that fascinates Alison Wood Brooks. Alison, an associate professor at Harvard Business Scho...

14 Tammi 202517min

Why are some bosses infuriating (and others inspiring)?

When you’re a leader, colleagues look for hidden meanings in everything you do. That can make gentle suggestions sound infuriating – and amplify the effect of even off-hand compliments. So how can a l...

7 Tammi 202517min

Best of: How to master the art of schmoozing

This week's episode of Working It – the last of the year – is a repeat of one of our favourite episodes. It features a masterclass in chit-chat from Matt Abrahams, a lecturer in communications at Stan...

24 Joulu 202421min

How to get ahead (without getting promoted)

You thought you were getting that big promotion – but you missed out. What are your next steps? Isabel Berwick speaks to Sarah Ellis (co-founder of careers consultancy Amazing If) and FT Management Ed...

17 Joulu 202415min

Best of: How to survive the office Christmas party

It's the work Christmas party season: you're out of the office, and the alcohol is flowing. How can you make sure you don't embarrass yourself (or derail your career)? And how can you bounce back if y...

10 Joulu 202419min

How can middle-aged women get the most out of work?

Many middle-aged women leave the workforce with plenty left to give. What can managers do to stop that from happening? Isabel Berwick speaks to Lucy Standing, founder of Brave Starts, a not-for-profit...

3 Joulu 202419min