With many corporations introducing alternative work weeks, some have begun to explore the idea of a 4-day work week in architecture. In a previous post titled, Can the 4-Day Workweek Become a Thing? many Archinectors jumped in to contribute their thoughts regarding the subject. whistler said:
"I have been running an office for 25 years and we have done a 4 day ( 10 hr days ) work week for 20 years. We work on residential / commercial and industrial projects and have no problem managing the projects. It's more about managing the clients that is the issue, once they are aware they have no issue generally going along with the flow of who is in the office and who is not in. Of course I am in everyday but hopefully look to check out a bit more often as I edge closer to retirement."
Just yesterday, OneLostArchitect, posted in the discussion forum concerning the topic, referencing an article at The Conversation that explores John McDonnell's announcement that the British Labour Party would "reduce the standard working week to 32 hours, without loss of pay..." after he won office. A statement that tackles the concern from many who would like to work 4 days, but not take a pay cut. Even then, how does one justify less work for the same pay?
Microsoft has recently released the results of its Work-Life Choice Challenge that was conducted in Japan. According to Business Insider, Microsoft Japan closed its offices every Friday in August and found that labor productivity increased by 39.9% when compared to the previous year. Additionally, a 30-minute limit was put on meetings and "remote communication" was encouraged, promoting efficiency in communication within the workplace.
The experiment also contributed toward resource preservation with a 23.1% drop in electricity consumption and a 58.7% decrease in printing. Ultimately, an increase in productivity and a drop in resource consumption seems to be a tangible variable in supporting employees retaining the same pay with less hours.
However, there are still issues of billing models. In the previously mentioned discussion, Archinector tintt suggests charging for "outcomes instead of hours." In response, Non Sequitur built on a concern of inadequate time to complete a full week's worth of work:
"...I just dont understand how people think things will get completed in less time (hence the 20% figure) if you work a 4day/32hr week vs a 5day/40hr especially if you're expecting the same compensation.
You don't just become 20% more efficient by having less required weekly hours."
What do you think of the 4-day workweek in architecture? Head over to OneLostArchitect's thread and contribute your thoughts.
9 Comments
Thank you for continuing on this topic. I'm impressed Labour in the UK has put this on their policy agenda. Parties in the US serious about increased living standards, economic equality, and preventing climate catastrophe need to as well. If the DSA becomes an actual party, I feel certain reduced working week would come up.
Might as well throw it into the Green New Deal. A shorter working week would have a positive impact on carbon emissions and various types of pollution.
In-depth food for thought (widely applicable to the US): https://autonomy.work/portfoli...
Thanks for the shout-out.
I'm struggling to understand the various angles others have expressed in Onelost's other thread. Sure, with all else being equal, who would not want less time in the office? But I find that in reality, there are more factors to consider than one employee's perceived productivity increase. I know for damn sure that I am far more productive working 5day/40hr then 4day/40hr because I value more my weeknight evenings at home and do not cut into this time unless it's unavoidable. It also does not help that I'm never on less than 3 full time projects (PA and CA).
Perhaps more task/project specific staff can make it work and I could see someone like a spec writer, CG production, or pure arch tech departments schedule, over the course of many months of production, weekly goals that once completed, staff can take the last friday off... but I don't see this being easy as project architect... that is, unless there is a large enough staff pool to ensure redundancies in case shit hits the fan while one wanker goes home early.
I feel you. It seems much harder when you're leading 3 projects, each (i'm assuming) with its own team of individuals you have to work with/respond to. I'm the same, I want to be home in the evenings to be with my wife and son or do extracurriculars. I've had people scoff at me for saying that last bit though.
(r)amen.
"I know for damn sure that I am far more productive working 5day/40hr then 4day/40hr.."
& I'm not. I can't speak for everyone but the point I was trying to make in that thread is that it's about embracing flexibility so more people can work in a way that works for them, not forcing rigidity onto everyone for the benefit of some at the expense of others (in either direction).
Unless I have a meeting or am working collaboratively toward a deadline, there's little reason I *need* to be in the office at any specific hours. As long as I get my job done, it doesn't matter.
tduds, before I transitioned to writing, I was this way. I'd finish my work very efficiently. Came in before everyone else and often would do light research in my free time (if I was curious about a specific material or type of detail I was work through).
When I completed all of my work, I’d go home. Everything was great. But, then other employees started to not like that (they came in 3 hours after me) because they felt “I didn’t have enough work” or that my work was “too easy.”
I was asked if I needed more work (basically, the uppers didn’t like that I wasn’t working over forty hours on average). I found it confusing that I should be docked or receive a “talking to” because I did my work efficiently and effectively and the client was always happy with my work, it got through DSA (I worked in education), and I always had early meetings with more experienced staff to work on tougher issues. But, the ones who worked long hours were seen as “harder workers.”
Also, as you mentioned, there was an unhealthy obsession with my needing to be at my desk and in the office. I’ve always been more of a results kind of guy. If someone isn’t collaborating or in a meeting, and they're consistently delivering great work, who cares if they do their work in their pj's on a floaty in their pool? I don’t.
Yup, you've hit the nail on the head. Most offices in this antiquated profession are led by people who have the mentality of hanging out in the office till they are the last ones to leave, and have absolutely no regard of others' time or life outside the office. However that is the state of the business and hopefully something changes about it soon...
tduds: exactly.
Love to see this -- at Monograph, we have a four-day work week. It's a bit different as we're a software company but we adamantly believe everyone benefits from having an extra day for other things in their life.
A lot of us have side projects which allow us to bring back new learnings to the company. We find people come back super energized and focused.
Would be happy to expand on how that works.
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