In the news last week, Finland’s Prime Minister proposed a 4-day work week to go along with that country’s flexible work policies. This is an idea that has never had much support in the U.S. but, in the current Covid-19 work environment, it may not be so far-fetched. Clearly, many employees are operating beyond the line of sight of their supervisors, but that doesn’t mean the work isn’t getting done. As people continue to work from home, managers are having to re-think how they assign and measure productivity and getting more experience and comfort with this practice, it’s conceivable they might be more open to the concept of universal 4-day weeks. People have long been able to opt for four 10-hour per day weekly schedules, but that’s mostly been voluntary. If this practice were to ever gain traction, it would have to coincide with accepting the concept that success is the result of the quality more than just the quantity of time people put in at work. And managers would have to adapt their practices and styles to be better communicators, coaches, and monitors. Maybe now is the right time to consider whether this idea is really doable. Whatever happens, remember that success is primarily the result of the quality of time we put in at work today.
Arianna Huffington (born 1950): Greek-American author, syndicated columnist, and businesswoman
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