It’s time to adopt better and more efficient ways to work.

-By Jack Kelly

It may seem counterintuitive, but abbreviated workweeks are good for employees, customers, and the bottom line. The traditional schedule of working from 9 am to 5 pm, five days a week, isn’t necessarily the best model. It’s time to adopt broader workplace innovations- including shorter workweeks.

The pandemic made people realize there are better and more efficient ways to work. Companies looking to capitalize on this revelation are providing employees with four-day work weeks, flexible schedules, and the autonomy to work where and when they want- either as digital nomads or in hybrid work arrangements.

The pandemic also led to rising levels of employee stress, anxiety, and burnout. Prolonged, unrelenting pressures can lead workers to experience emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. If employees feel depleted, they cannot perform their jobs to the best of their abilities and are more likely to become jaded and disengaged. Instead of forcing a person to be chained to a computer for an arbitrary time period, organizations can help relieve workers’ stress and free them to do their best work by offering shortened workweeks, among other things……….

— For more on this topic by Jack Kelly, Go to SHRM.ORG/HRmagazine.