I’m sure I don’t need to convince you that a four-day workweek is a great idea. In fact, studies have shown that the four-day workweek can actually increase productivity.

Most South Africans don’t have the luxury of a three-day weekend at the moment, though. In fact, most of us are burning out.

Yes, there’s a reason your Friday night is spent crying into a tub of ice-cream while binge-watching series. You’re working too hard.

There are at least some ways in which South African companies are trying to relieve the stress, with remote working increasing in popularity.

Microsoft in Japan recently took it a step further. They did a four-day workweek experiment where 2 300 employees got to take Fridays off. and productivity actually increased by a whopping 40%.

The findings have forced companies to start thinking carefully about when we work and for how long.

Over to Inc., who found that employees working eight-hour days spent more time on social media than they did working. When asked ‘why?’, the resounding response was that it made their jobs more bearable.

There’s a depressing thought to kick off the week.

With that in mind, here are three ways to improve the workweek, according to science.

Measure Value Instead Of Time

Remote working is the way of the future.

Let’s get real. Why do we care how employees are spending their time as long as their value created exceeds your cost? Still seem frightening? Research from Stanford shows that employees who are allowed to work remotely are more productive. They’re less likely to leave, and they save their organisation money.

As I write this, I’m sitting in my lounge enjoying a remote working Monday. It really takes the edge off the start of the week.

Focus On The Experience

You can hope that your employees are engaged, but you can’t force it.

Nevertheless, you can focus on providing the best employee experience possible that makes them want to choose to engage in their work. In fact, your company and culture is a product of the shared values of your employees. Ask what they need from you, instead of giving them what you think they need from you.

Good vibes result in good work.

Be Honest About Burnout

Eight hours of constant focus is too much. In fact, the optimal time that any one person can engage with a task is four hours.

A global study reveals that 79 percent of employees are suffering from mild, moderate, or severe burnout. Burnout is real. It’s not only one of the leading causes of turnover but also, as we learned from Microsoft Japan’s study, obviously a cause of reduced productivity.

In other words, it might be time to really, seriously, reconsider the eight-hour workday.

If fewer hours actually increase productivity and the happiness of your employees, everyone wins.

Here’s something for the boss to remember as well – you’ll also get more time to yourself to enjoy the finer things in life.

[source:inc]