KUCHING: Many employers worldwide, including in Malaysia, still view productivity as having employees at their desks in the office.
Donna Barclay Tan, a lecturer at the Swinburne University of Technology said from the employee perspective, long hours in the office can be both physically and psychologically draining.
She said the 48-hour work week, which exceeds the work week in other peer nations, is the norm in Malaysia.
“This traditional mindset which resulted in such long working hours may lead to lack of productivity, employee burn-out and increased resignation rates,” she said in a statement here Tuesday.
“How can the needs of employers and employees be better aligned to create more harmonious 21st century workplaces?” she asked.
Given that many small and medium-business owners are currently struggling to hire and retain the talent needed, she felt it may be time to reconsider hiring strategies.
In the past, employers could attract talented team members through competitive salaries and year-end bonuses, however, many employers report that this is no longer the case.
According to Donna, in a 2022 survey of 500 tech employees and 230 internet technology organisations globally, researchers found that only a small percentage of employers were able to hire the staff they needed and that applicants are no longer solely driven to accept jobs based on the salary on offer.
“What factors have impacted job seekers’ decision-making in the past two years? Numerous surveys show that training opportunities, recognition, and flexible work options top the list for qualified job seekers,” she said.
In 2022, ‘4 Day Week Global’ (a New Zealand-based not-for-profit community) ran a six-month pilot programme of the four-day work week in Australasia across a broad range of business models.
Unsurprisingly, she said, employees involved in this programme self-reported increased productivity, reduced feelings of burnout and less conflict both in the workplace and in the home.
What was perhaps more surprising was that employers also found enormous benefits of the four-day work week, including reduced absenteeism and resignation rates and increased productivity.
Meanwhile, of the 21 companies participating in the survey, 20 stated their intention to continue on with the four-day work week following the trial due to the measurable benefits observed.
She said in another trial of the four-day work week in the United Kingdom, involving over 60 companies and almost 3,000 workers, it was found that most companies who participated in the trial did not intend to return to the five-day work week.
Therefore, Donna questioned if Malaysian business owners would reap the same benefits to their businesses as their overseas counterparts.
She said for small and medium-sized business owners with challenges in attracting and retaining talented staff, the move to a four-day work week may be worth consideration.
According to Wilson Moy, Brand and Partnerships Manager of the successful Malaysian company Piktochart, the four-day work week model was initially trialed in 2020.
The rollout of this work model was so successful that the company decided it would stay as the work pattern for its employees. Not only does Piktochart offer a four-day work week, work in this graphic design software company is also remote.
Another case in point of the success of the four-day work week in Malaysia is Twistcode Technologies Sdn Bhd, a supercomputing company.
She said according to CEO Nurazam Malim, the switch from working five to four days per week was an easy one to make as many of the staff members at Twistcode had been suffering from burn-out due to long-hours in front of their computer monitors.
The flexible work model offered by Twistcode, in conjunction with an absence of micro-management, are part of Twistcode’s success story. However, Malim does concede that adjustments may need to be made from time to time due to business demands.
These days small and medium-sized business owners seek to attract team members from Generation Z (those born between1997 and the early 2000s) as they are tech savvy and confident.
Donna stressed that Gen Z will account for about 30 per cent of the global workforce in the next few years, thus, employers need to appreciate the needs of Gen Z as job applicants, which include company policies such as corporate social responsibility initiatives and work-life balance.
“The four-day work week may be part of a hiring package that will appeal to Gen Z applicants,” she said.
For a small or medium-sized business owner, those curious but not convinced about introducing a four-day work week, can actually do a trial run.
She said a pre-implementation survey and good communication strategy regarding expectations will help ensure the success of the trial.
Increased productivity and employee satisfaction may then lead to a permanent shift to flexible work practices in your organisation.
Donna believed that with thoughtful implementation involving planning and communication, the move to a four-day work week may be the future of work.
