The social, economic and environmental impacts of a 4-day workweek in an organization.

Abstract

Purpose: This research project examines the socio, environmental, and economic impact of a 4 Day work week on an organization’s outcomes. Methodology: Interviews were conducted with both the managers and employees of the organization to gather primary data. Implications: The recommendations are proposed to solve the issues observed with implementing the new 4- day workweek system. Findings: We found that the social impact was positive, but the economic impact of the change was negative. The lack of consensus in employees’ views showed that productivity is a subjective topic in the organization. Moreover, the environmental impact was found to be unclear and difficult to measure. Originality: This research applies the three pillars of sustainability to ascertain the impact of move to shorter workweek by an organization based in the Emirate of Sharjah, UAE. To our knowledge this is the first study in the region that has examined this issue to ascertain the effectiveness of this approach.