Long hours of relaxation to be had… By the start of the school year in September, around fifty companies in France could be supported to move to a four-day week. The one which lasts 32 hours without loss of salary, unlike Gabriel Attal’s project. Objective for 4 Day Week Global, the NGO behind this large-scale pilot: to prove that it works, in different sectors and different contexts.
But for companies that would like to get started, there can be many fears. How to switch safely? What are really the expected benefits? And above all, how can we prevent all employees from fighting to free up their Friday? 20 minutes questioned Philippe du Peyrat, co-founder of 4jours.work, the organization which will support the companies in this pilot.
How are businesses supported?
The call is made. The 4 Day Week Global movement, which has “already supported 360 companies in around twenty countries, from Brazil to the United Kingdom”, specifies Philippe du Peyrat, is awaiting applications from companies that would like to be supported, by the end of July . “We are targeting companies with between 10 and 200 employees, which are those which have the most difficulty getting started but which are at the same time already faced with problems” such as absenteeism, difficulty recruiting or retaining their employees. The idea is to convince around 50 companies, to have “the largest pilot on a national scale”.
In a second phase, from September to October, each company will be asked to define its project. “Why go for it? What are the success factors? How to evaluate them? » So many essential questions, according to Philippe du Peyrat, before moving on to the four-day week. For the most successful transition, “series of workshops to rethink the organization of the day, the week, the meetings” will also be offered. Then, at the beginning of November, “we take the plunge” for six months. During this period, 4jours.work will continue to support companies with “HR and legal advice”. The idea being to “overcome challenges together”, rather than going it alone.
How can we move all employees from five days to four days without everyone taking the same day?
This is the great fantasy that comes when we talk about working one day less: that Friday becomes the new Sunday. That no one wants to work before the weekend anymore. Or that all the parents tear themselves away on Wednesday. In reality, “the four-day week is not Friday off,” reassures Philippe du Peyrat. The manager highlights the variety of formats that can be offered, depending on whether you are a company that must remain open six days a week or that can reduce its activity on a given day.
“Of course, we have to ask ourselves the question of public holidays, supporting interns, parenting…” For companies that have deadlines to meet and more intense periods, the expert mentions the possibility of “ have weeks of five days, and others of three.” In short, you have to negotiate. But nothing really blocks it. “Time is the most precious commodity. The employee’s gratitude and interest will always be there, even if the given day is not the one desired. » And to avoid the great frustration of finding yourself off on a Tuesday, there is always the solution of “a shift every quarter”.
What are the expected benefits?
The objective may seem ambitious: reduce working hours by 20% without affecting the company’s results or remuneration. However, the four-day week would actually be beneficial for the time spent by employees in the company. First, because productivity is better. “We have enormous benefits in reducing burn-out and absenteeism,” also argues Philippe du Peyrat. Today, average absenteeism is around 25 days per year, and 34% of employees are burnt out, according to a study by OpinionWay.
By freeing up time to play sports and more generally for any activity that helps reduce stress, the four-day week therefore takes on a health issue, when it comes time to contribute longer for retirement. “Our mission is to give time back to everyone for the well-being of all,” summarizes Philippe du Peyrat, who mentions “the trickle-down impact on loved ones, particularly in the distribution of domestic tasks.”
Last interesting detail for the employer, at a time when “Generation Z stays on average 18 months in a company”, 4 Day Week Global observed a 42% drop in resignations in its partner companies. So many positive effects which convinced nine out of ten testing companies to keep the week at four days.