One Fashion Company Is Trying A 4-Day Work Week

Photo: ShutterstockMost of us are used to working a standard five day, 9am-5pm schedule, but one company is looking to shift the norm.

Fast Retailing–parent company of Uniqlo, Theory and J Brand–tells Bloomberg Business that it will enforce a four day work week starting in October. They will be required to work 10 hour days, with Saturdays and Sundays included in their new schedule.

The experimental policy–which will affect about 10,000 employees at Uniqlo’s Japanese headquarters–is being put in place as a way to combat the arduous hours put in at overseas companies.

Per Bloomberg Business:

“About 22 percent of Japanese workers put in more than 49 hours a week, compared with 16 percent of U.S. workers, according to data reported in The Guardian.  As a reaction to overwork and stress from traditionally long hours, some Japanese companies, including trading house Itochu, have banned late nights.”

Additionally, traditional workplace practices are slowly shifting to accommodate those who can get more done in condensed hours. Bloomberg also cites a 2014 survey where 43% of 1,000 employers said they allow employees to compress their workweek if it results in more work getting done.

Although business experts say it will be a long while before this is common practice, the unconventional policy is said to “help with morale and productivity.”

SBs, which work schedule do you prefer?

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