Why The ‘4 + 1’ Workweek Is Inevitable

Brandon Busteed

Chief Partnership Officer, Kaplan North America

There’s been a lot of buzz about a 4-day workweek. But it will be the ‘4 + 1’ workweek that ultimately wins out: 4 days of “work” and 1 day of “learning.”

Several forces are converging in a way that point toward the inevitability of this workplace future. Demand for flexible work, an appetite for learning, growth and development as a top priority among employees, and a fast-growing need for constant upskilling and reskilling will lead most employers to a 4 +1 workweek.

More than 9-out-of-10 employees desire a 4-day workweek but only 6% of senior leaders say they are currently offering or planning to offer it. And the single biggest reason leaders are struggling with the idea is fear about lost productivity. Early case studies suggest employers can be successful with shorter and more productive workweeks. But we may be missing the larger point here. U.S. employers are currently struggling with a talent shortage – most especially in roles that require new economy skills. Our gap in productivity is less about workers slacking off or not working enough and more about simply not having people who are trained or qualified for a particular role.

Read the rest of “Why The ‘4+1’ Workweek Is Inevitable” in Forbes.