Back in 2023, South Africa joined the large list of countries that have trialled a 4-day work week across several industries. Discussions around this topic started all the way back in 2020 due to the pandemic lockdowns, leading to South Africa’s trial lasting between the 1st of March 2023 and the 31st of August 2023.
Though not the first and definitely not the last country to test this new working model, South Africa has faced some specific challenges that other countries haven’t. Below, we’ll have an in-depth look at what this trial consisted of, as well as what it will mean for recruitment agencies all over South Africa. Let’s get into it!
What Is The Four-Day Workweek Trial?
In most countries around the globe, the five-day week (aka working Monday to Friday) is the norm. This has raised numerous concerns over the years regarding a lack of work-life balance and increased burnout.
The four-day work week trial is meant as a possible solution to this issue, with many countries trying to reduce employees’ working hours so they can work 4 days rather than 5. During the 4-day week trial, employees still got 100% of their pay but were also expected to deliver 100% of their usual workload.
A successful trial would prove that employees can work reduced hours without a decrease in overall productivity and sometimes even with an increase, showing employers the benefits of adopting this work model.
What Did The South Africa 4-Day Work Week Trial Consist Of?
The South African workweek trial worked similarly to the one in most other countries. People worked only 4 days a week but got paid their usual wages, and attempted to stay just as productive in their work.
In the trial, we saw 28 South African businesses and 1 Botswanan business from many different industries, including but not limited to tax and finance, marketing, employment service companies and IT software companies. According to the data, over 470 employees were involved in this trial.
What Were The Benefits Of The Four-Day Working Week Trial?
The 4-day work week trial in South Africa only lasted 6 months, but already shows a lot of promise for this updated working model. Companies involved reported lots of benefits for implementing a shorter working week, including:
- Improved work-life balance for employees
- Reduced stress and burnout
- Increased employee morale, satisfaction, and employee well-being
- Maintained or even increased employee productivity
- Environmental benefits
- Lower staff turnover and increased retention
- Lower staff absenteeism with fewer sick days taken overall
Currently, high traffic is one of the main issues in South Africa, especially around big cities like Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban. This usually leads to long commuting times for employees, adding to overall stress and even further reducing personal time outside of work.
A four-day week would mean one less day of long commutes, and an extra day to pursue personal interests, skill development, or spend time with their families. Overall, the extra leisure time had positive effects on employees’ personal lives, which was reflected in their mindset at work as well.
Long term, it seems a 32-hour work week would help promote a more unified community of people that embraces culture and leisure activities, fostering a positive mindset and general well-being.
What Were The Challenges Of The 4-Day WorkWeek Trial?
While the results of this pilot program were mostly promising, it didn’t come without its fair share of challenges. Let’s have a quick look at some of the main issues that affect the feasibility of a shorter workweek in South Africa and worldwide:
- Higher negative impact on SMEs
SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) will likely struggle the most if a 4-day work week becomes the norm. Large businesses have the resources to experiment with alternative work models, but smaller businesses might not, making it difficult to adapt to a reduced schedule.
- The 4-day work week might not be suitable for all industries
So far, a 4-day work week has proven effective for knowledge workers, such as IT specialists or marketers. However, some people have voiced concerns about how this new model would influence industries such as medicine, manufacturing, or construction.
- Different approaches to the 4-day work week model
While some companies in South Africa adopted the reduced hours model by simply giving employees a Monday or Friday off, not all of them did. In fact, many businesses had very different approaches to this six-month trial.
Some companies offered 2 days off every 2 weeks, while others gave their employees two half days rather than one full day off. Other companies kept workers in office for the full 5 days but offered reduced hours each day. This particular approach was difficult to keep up, especially when taking public holidays into account.
- Impact on hourly wage workers
A working model with reduced hours is also difficult to implement when it comes to hourly pay jobs such as retail. In this line of work, a shorter work week would lead to reduced pay. For many people, losing a day’s worth of pay is simply not possible.
What would a 4-week trial mean for recruitment agencies in South Africa?
Despite all the challenges, 94% of the 29 participating companies have expressed interest in continuing the 4-day work week pilot. As a highly rated recruitment agency, Armstrong Appointments believes that this updated working model could benefit not just employees, but also job seekers around South Africa.
Here are a few benefits to keep in mind:
- Increased staff productivity – the trials have shown that a 4-day work week can help not just maintain productivity but increase it, due to a more positive mindset and reduced stress
- African companies would become more attractive to potential employees – the job-seeking market is filled with members of the younger generation, who greatly value work-life balance and managing their physical and mental health. Companies that adopt a flexible working model like the 4-day work week will attract lots of talented prospects and will be able to hire the best talent for their business.
Find Your Career in a Flexible Working Environment With An Executive Recruiting Agency
While the concept of a 4-day work week appeals to many, it’s not certain that it will become the norm in South Africa. However, it’s clear that lots of companies are steering towards more flexible work arrangements.
If you’re looking for job recruitment agencies in Cape Town, Johannesburg, or Durban, Armstrong Appointments is a leading headhunting agency that can help you enhance your career prospects in South Africa.