Max Tallberg
The role of society should be to support the well-being of its members, rather than leaving them alone to compete with one another for success. This idea was already present in the thinking of Plato, but in the modern world it has been replaced by the notion that society should not interfere in people’s personal pursuit of happiness. However, there is no reason why a well-functioning, democratic society grounded in human values and scientific knowledge could not subtly support its members also in the pursuit of a good life. At the very least, it can support the genuine freedom of each individual, through which they can move toward this goal.
This also applies to companies, other economic actors, and the economy as a whole. The central aim of their activity should be to support the individual in achieving a good life. A trial of the four-day workweek conducted in the UK a few years ago fits this way of thinking extremely well. The trial—which lasted about six months—involved 61 workplaces and around 2,900 employees. The results were remarkable: one-third of the companies that participated permanently adopted the four-day workweek, and over 90 percent decided to continue the model for the time being. A key reason behind this was the improved well-being of employees, both physically and mentally. Stress levels among participants decreased, and at the same time anxiety, fatigue, and sleep problems were reduced. Sick leave also fell by two-thirds. Companies also saved on recruitment costs, as employees were less eager to change jobs. This is an even greater advantage because it also applied to the best employees. As a result of the trial, companies were also able to attract more capable new employees.
A key finding of the study was also that employees were able to accomplish more work during a four-day workweek than during a five-day one. However, this was not only due to the shorter workweek, but also because work processes were made more efficient at the same time—for example, by reducing the time spent in meetings, allowing employees to focus better on their actual tasks. None of the participants wanted to give up their new shorter workweek, and 15 percent of participants even stated that no amount of money would make them return to the old model. It is also essential to note that every employee should be given the freedom to decide which day they take off, or alternatively choose to work five days a week but fewer hours each day. In addition, those who voluntarily wish to work longer days—even longer than before—should also be allowed this option.
The research findings related to the four-day workweek can also be connected to a broader reflection on the individual and their relationship to work. Today, employees in many workplaces are pushed to be as efficient as possible. This leads to hurry and stress, as a result of which many people eventually burn out. When stressed and rushed, the quality of work often also suffers, so it can be argued that by demanding too much from employees, employers ultimately harm themselves and their own chances of success. Excessive demands can ultimately lead to decreased efficiency in the long run. The research presented here, however, shows that people actually achieve better work results when their well-being is taken care of first. Most employees are also conscientious professionals who want to do their jobs well, and therefore excessive external pressure and high demands are not a sensible approach to managing their work. It is also reasonable to suggest that when a person is doing well, they are also more creative. This, in turn, radiates into better ideas, which contribute to improving the performance of the entire work community.
It is also justified to think that the same approach—one that prioritizes people’s well-being—would radiate into the well-being of society as a whole if it were more broadly applied to the individual and their life. A basic income could be a justified approach and policy tool in this context. An individual receiving basic income would know best how to use this benefit, and this would inevitably contribute to their well-being. For example, a parent could, with the support of basic income and a shorter workweek, be more present for their child and invest in their well-being through hobbies or more nutritious food. In this way, the child would also be better off, and their development would be supported. Basic income would also mean that individuals would have better opportunities to pursue the kind of work they truly want to do. This, too, would have a significant impact on their well-being. A well-functioning individual would, in turn, likely lead to savings in many areas of society, as vast resources would no longer be needed to address individuals’ problems. As a partial measure, basic income would also encourage work, meaning that society would not lose too much in economic terms. If, however, basic income were too expensive to implement or weakened work incentives too much, policies of a similar kind—ones that take the genuine well-being of individuals as their starting point—should still be pursued.
Perhaps, then, the results of the four-day workweek can be applied more broadly to our understanding of human well-being and the relationship between the individual and society. This approach would begin from the idea that individuals themselves know how to improve the quality of their lives when they are given the tools to do so. Even if we assume that the idea of a happy life cannot be outsourced to society, it is still clear that society and companies can play a role in creating the conditions for it for each of their members. Both basic income and the four-day workweek are based on the utilization of individual freedom—basic income assumes that people can use it to improve their own quality of life, and the four-day workweek suggests that when individuals are given responsibility for their own work and well-being, this radiates into better outcomes for the entire company.
Sources:
https://www.hs.fi/talous/art-2000009407078.html
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/feb/21/four-day-week-uk-trial-success-pattern
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-21/four-day-work-week-uk-study-finds-majority-of-employers-shifting
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-64669987
