The 4-day work week and gender inequality

In today's world, women do three times more unpaid housework than men. This is a huge challenge for women who are trying to simultaneously work full time and reconcile household and parenting responsibilities. At the same time, there is more and more talk about the participation of men in domestic life and the need for a fair division of tasks in relationships.

According to data from 2021 (according to statistics from The Harmonised European Time Use Survey), more than 25% of women devote more than 10 hours a week to unpaid housework, compared to only 8% of men. In addition, 67% of women believe that childcare responsibilities affect their progress at work, including the absence of pay increases, promotions or career development.

A study conducted by 4 Day Week (a non-profit organization), covering six different countries and 33 companies from different industries, found that men who worked 4 days a week increased the time spent caring for children by 22% and the time spent on household chores by 23%.

Consequences of women's part-time work 

In the European Union, the proportion of women aged 15-64 working part-time is 28%. In comparison, in men it is 8%. Women had a higher share of part-time workers in all occupational categories defined in the International Classification of Occupations (data from the third quarter of 2023, collected by Eurostat). Typically, these are women who, working full time, find it difficult to reconcile work with two-thirds of parental and household responsibilities.

This results in them losing income in the short term and lower retirement income in the long term. Assuming they manage to complete their full-time duties in four days without going part-time, this will be a significant step forward in equalizing wages. It is also one of the elements that affects the elimination of the so-called. gender pay gap and as calculated, it will take more than 131 years to eliminate it, at the current rate of growth (World Economic Forum report on gender diversity in 2023). Covid 19 has delayed this process and each new improvement in work culture has a positive effect on the pace of change.

Impact on work-life balance 

The work environment today is changeable and unstable, which requires initiatives that take care of the harmony between work and private life. This applies in particular to the division of responsibilities at work and personal time. It is worth adding that 6 out of 10 employees value the consistent values promoted in the company, namely the culture and the way it is organized (including the involvement of the management in social issues).

Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Boston College studied the effects of a 4-day workweek and analyzed 61 organizations and companies in the UK. The experiment to reduce working hours while maintaining the same wages lasted 6 months, starting in June 2022. The results showed that stress levels (71% of employed people) and burnout (39% of employed people) significantly decreased. 60% of respondents said that their effectiveness in caring for children and other family members improved, and 62% said that The change has made it easier for them to participate in society.

The benefits for companies were associated with a 65% reduction in the number of sick days and a 57% reduction in the number of employees who decide to leave work for another. The survey also showed that companies' revenues did not fall, but increased slightly (by an average of 1.4%). Shorter hours of work give you extra time which can be sacrificed in the way you choose. Portalo Welcome to the Jungle implemented a 4-day work week and conducted an internal survey in his company. behold the following activities that listed people working there when asked what they would do during an example day off during the workweek:

•  practicing your other skills in order to advance your career (the so-called job shadowing) 
• allow yourself to fully rest and recover
• going to the post office without a queue
• volunteering at a cat shelter
• watching your child's soccer practice

The above activities represent the entire cross-section of the needs of working people; from things that allow them to gain additional valuable experience in the labor market, to fulfilling themselves as a parent, to the usual, but much needed, day off from work.

Introducing the possibility of more flexible working hours and lowering the labour market entry threshold for women is essential to encourage women to stay in work. In today's dynamic work environment, where the boundaries between work and personal life are blurring, more and more people are suffering from mental health problems. In the U.S., according to Indeed and Future Forum reports, 52% of all working people report burnout syndrome, with women (46%) showing higher levels of burnout syndrome than men (37%).

Step to equalize inequalities 

However, there are potential risks that could negatively affect gender equality. The transfer of responsibilities from a 5-day work week to a 4-day one can contribute to an uneven load, and an additional day off for women can lead to an increase in the burden of parental responsibilities. High-paying jobs are mostly performed by men and this has to do with other work time requirements — usually you need to be present at work for 5/6 days a week or more.

On the one hand, if a 4-day work week is introduced, it is a chance that people (mainly women and people caring for others), doing part-time work, will have the opportunity to change it to full-time, because the smaller amount of hours while maintaining the salary from full-time work will allow them to devote time to themselves or household chores. On the other hand, the problem may be that this model will not be introduced to the high-paying professions mentioned above, where much more hourly activity is required. Then 1 extra day or a few hours off work will make it up to women to do household chores one way or another. It is also exclusive for men who will not be able to participate in family life at this time.

The introduction of a 4-day work week is not the only solution for gender equality, but it can be an important step in reducing the gender gap in the workplace. However, it is crucial to properly promote such a model that encourages the sharing of household responsibilities and increases work flexibility, without increasing gender inequality.

summary

Change a work culture aimed at greater inclusiveness and caring for psychological comfort can bring mutual benefits (Henley Business School Report). For employed persons: reduction of burnout (69% of employees), reduction of stress (40% of employees), satisfaction with personal life (74% of employees), reduction of conflicts (60% of employees), career development. For Employers: improved retention of working people (70% of attracting and retaining older people in the workplace and 64% of younger people), reducing overhead costs (51%), reducing sick leave (62% fewer sick people working), reducing burnout of the working person (70% happier and less stressed working people).

However, in order for this idea to fully contribute to improving the quality of work and the condition of employees, it is necessary to discuss details such as: a fair distribution of responsibilities both at work and at home, the reorganisation of work in the company, the amount of remuneration and flexibility in choosing the size of working hours. The expected results on gender equality and work-life balance will only occur if the criteria are met. The mere fact that a company advertises itself with a 4-day work week can encourage recruitment, but it will not fully function if the above changes are not taken into account in the further consequences. This model can provide many benefits, both for employers and for the person working, if it is properly implemented.