LOCAL stakeholders have given mixed reviews about the possibility of introducing a four-day workweek in Jamaica, saying the arrangement needs to be carefully studied to ascertain if it will be viable.

With local work arrangements more steeped in a five-day/40-hour workweek, the practice of four day workweeks — which has been undergoing a number of test-runs in other parts of the world — is, however, not lost on local stakeholders, with some of them sharing nuanced perspectives on the issue.

For Granville Valentine, trade unionist, industrial relations consultant, and general secretary of the National Worker’s Union of Jamaica (NWU), while the traditional five-day work-week may be more suited to certain industries in Jamaica, he sees no issue with a four-day workweek being introduced as another alternative for those who can benefit.

“The five-day workweek, I think, is ideal based on how we operate in Jamaica but I also see a four-day workweek working well for those persons who may need to work part-time or take care of other activities.

“The five-day has been working well over the many years so a transition to four days with proper research could likewise have some good benefits. In the modern world there are some things that are changing and we have to change with the times, so I’m not throwing out any of them as they could work together — and where there is suitability, either could be applied. We just have to look at the models to see where they can be tweaked to determine if we can have both working together. I’m open to both, but I want to see the research and analysis in order to assess the true Jamaican situation and not just to say move from five- to four-day workweeks — I don’t see that as the best approach,” he told the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview.

Like many proponents globally he agreed that a four-day workweek will definitely augur well for the employee, allowing them to fulfil their needs associated with the much-clamoured-for work-life-balance.

St Patrice Ennis, another trade unionist and president of the Union of Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (UTASP), in highlighting some of the benefits said that with the reduced work hours, “people will be given the chance to practise other skill sets, take on more side hustles to earn more while, most importantly, get the chance to spend more time with family”, something he believes is “well needed in a culture such as ours”. This against the backdrop that Jamaica’s ranking in the World Happiness Report last year moved from 37th place in 2020 to 63rd — some 26 places down.

Surveys have also consistently showed that employees tend to be happier and more engaged when they are able to have better control of their mental health and well-being, get more time to spend with loved ones, and do the things they enjoy.

Ennis further said that while provisions for a fourday workweek are not enshrined in law, locally the practice bears similar features to the current flexi-work arrangements. Flexi-work structures facilitate variations in the work schedule, allowing employees to negotiate with their employer as it relates to the start and end time of the workday, the number of hours worked each day, the number of days worked each week, and also the days of the week on which they work — instead of doing the traditional Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm, 8 hours a day fixture.

“With the flexi work arrangement there are some workers who are already working less than a five-day work week, depending on the situation and how they fix their hours. We are therefore not averse to a four-day workweek…we think it is viable but it should also be based on the type of industry in which it is applied,” he said.

President of the Jamaica Employers Federation (JEF) David Wan, in sharing his views, said that while there is plenty of talk being generated globally about the pros and cons of a four-day workweek and its applicability in individual countries, he believes that more research and analysis is needed before it can be determined if the arrangement could work locally.

“From the exercise that was done in the UK we don’t know what industries or size companies were involved, therefore information remains outstanding and a number of follow-up questions are still left to be answered,” he told Sunday Finance.

Based on local realities Wan said the model also may not work very well for many industries. This as a cut in work hours could also lead to reduced operating hours for some entities, particularly in the manufacturing and retail space.

“I think it is something that we are not ready for yet, as an estimated 70 per cent of jobs in Jamaica require for people to be present at the work. What that means is if there is a cutback to four days a week then employers will have to hire more people to get the coverage they need, as they must be open to serve the public.

“This is also going to lead to an increase in expenses without an increase in income for those enterprises. Likewise, if there is a company employing three people and everybody goes on four-day workweek, then there’s going to be the need to hire more people to get the work done,” he said.

“The concerns of small business who hire two or three people only, must also be taken into account as well as those large companies who may be better able to deal with it. Let us have the discussions, but in the meantime I don’t think there is enough data available as yet to make a decision as to whether it’s workable or not,” Wan added.

Experts have said that while four-day workweeks may seem like a radical idea, the reduction in work hours have long been taking place and dates as far back as the late 19th century. Data shows that in the US for example, employees working at a manufacturing plant in the 1890s usually worked up to 100 hours per week. This, by the mid-20th century, was however adjusted to the current 40 hours per week.

While a relatively new concept being pushed by the advancements in technology, four-day workweeks largely feature a reduction in standard work hours, allowing employees to ideally work up to as much as 32 hours per week and to benefit from longer weekends.

According to Investopedia, an online financial website, “The idea behind a four-day workweek is to achieve the same results in fewer hours so people have more time to pursue other interests, spend time with loved ones, and manage their lives.”

The arrangement, in focusing on results rather than the hours clocked, means that there’s no need to cut pay or benefits. Companies also get the opportunity to benefit from increased sales, decreased worker burnout, lower turnover, among other positives. The concept, which has been evolving (experts say), should not be confused with a compressed workweek in which the employee can negotiate with the employer to undertake the traditional forty-hour workweek over a shorter span of days.

Four-day workweeks, as a result of the reduced hours, help to significantly increase employee satisfaction, company commitment, and teamwork while contributing to decreased stress levels. It also leads to improved well-being among employees without damaging productivity. Survey findings have revealed that workers in some of the world’s most productive countries such as Norway, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, operate on an average for about 27 hours a week — the same amount of hours now being proposed for a UK four-day workweek.

Last June, Britain, in what has now been categorised as one of the world’s biggest trials of the four-day workweek, saw over 3000 workers across 70 companies working for fewer hours for full pay while maintaining the same level of productivity. After receiving overwhelming feedback some 90 per cent of companies in the UK, in the post-trial aftermath, have decided that they would not be reverting to the old workweek model.

Framing it as an attempt to modernise work cultures for the better, the reintroduction of a 32-hour workweek Bill in the US is also now being pushed by California Representative Mark Takano to challenge the traditional 40 hours typical of the five day workweek.

“Workers across the nation are collectively reimagining their relationship to labour, and our laws need to follow suit,” Takano said.

“We have before us the opportunity to make common sense changes to work standards passed down from a different era. The Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act would improve the quality of life of workers, meeting the demand for a more truncated workweek that allows room to live, play, and enjoy life more fully outside of work,” he further stated.