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4 Day Work Week debate

So we've probably heard that recently there's been a huge trial run of the 4 day work week where businesses have volunteered to take part in it to see if it allows for better mental health and a more positive work space.

Now, I want to hear your opinions about it, here's mine:

I think that the 4 day work week should not happen because if it does then it means teachers are going to be overworked (still working 5 days) or it means longer school days. However if this 4 day work week becomes approved then that means that teachers are only in 4 days a week, which also means students are only in 4 days a week which can impact how they learn.
Here's an example - You usually spend a minimum of 12 years in education from reception to GCSE - that's from 5 days each week, 190 days a year. If teachers still teach at their current pace but we only do 4 days a week. This adds on another 3 YEARS to their mandatory education. So pupils will potentially complete their GCSEs when they are 18/19 as opposed to 15/16.

Longer hours can really mess up young children's minds - as they can get so tired and unmotivated if they stay in school too long - so that can't possibly happen. What do you guys think?

Reply 1

imlikeahermit

I work a four day week and I love it, but I would say that it depends still completely on the industry. I don’t think it necessarily translates across to other sectors so easily such as education. For what it’s worth however, 4 days a week, which includes shift working is tremendous for a work/life balance.

Reply 2

Ash1234

I thought the 4 day week was dependent on the industry. I don't think they've mentioned teachers or the education sector at all.

Reply 3

username5854274

You can have teachers teach 4 days a week but children still attend school 5 days a week. It has been mooted in education circles before. Would ease teacher workload and increase retention.

Reply 4

SHallowvale

I'd love to see a four day work week become standard with no reduction in pay. It's perfectly feasible in the industry I work in and in several others. While it would require a pay cut, I have considered reducing my hours in future as I am fortunate enough to afford it. I can't forsee a drop in workload, though, since I could still achieve it with less hours clocked in.

(edited 1 year ago)

Reply 5

Saracen's Fez

I think there are quite a lot of sectors where cutting hours worked by 20% is going to cause a worker's productivity/output to fall by roughly 20%, where offering workers a 25% payrise on top of inflation (which is what 5 days' pay for 4 days' work works out at) is going to look extremely unattractive, where employers will be reluctant to drop to 4 days unless their hand is forced.

Specifically on education, you can't measure a teacher's output or productivity in the same way, but it's definitely a sector where you'd struggle to ever deliver 5 days' learning in 4 days.

Reply 6

Talkative Toad

Volunteer Team

Moved to society but I think that a 4 day work week can be a good thing, just depends on the person.

Reply 7

hotpud

Original post by Crazed cat lady

You can have teachers teach 4 days a week but children still attend school 5 days a week. It has been mooted in education circles before. Would ease teacher workload and increase retention.

It wouldn't reduce teacher workload. You would just have the same amount of work but would have to do it in 4 days. In order for teachers to work four days a week, you would need to recruit an additional 20% more teachers. In the world of teaching, the idea that you could do less work for the same amount of pay is ridiculous so it would see a 20% pay cut for teachers too.

Teacher workload has nothing to do with teaching. It is all the other stuff we have to do. In some countries, teachers just teach. In this country, we teach, parent, educate in life skills, council, set and do homework for kids and that isn't before all the paperwork we have to provide for Offsted.

Reply 8

username5854274

Original post by hotpud

The suggestion was recruit more teachers but retain existing pay. It was more wishful thinking that something the government would ever really consider.

Teacher workload has nothing to do with teaching. It is all the other stuff we have to do. In some countries, teachers just teach. In this country, we teach, parent, educate in life skills, council, set and do homework for kids and that isn't before all the paperwork we have to provide for Offsted.

I know. I've been there and quit in under a year as I wasn't willing to sacrifice a large chunk of my social life for such poor pay.

Reply 9

hotpud

Original post by Crazed cat lady

The suggestion was recruit more teachers but retain existing pay. It was more wishful thinking that something the government would ever really consider.

Ha! We can dream. I gave up four weekends this year to do DofE. They wouldn't even buy me breakfast!

Reply 10

imlikeahermit

Original post by hotpud

Ha! We can dream. I gave up four weekends this year to do DofE. They wouldn't even buy me breakfast!

Had no idea you came from a teaching background. Every single thing you described there is why I left. Far too much expected, outside of the teaching remit for little pay and little support.

Reply 11

hotpud

Original post by imlikeahermit

Had no idea you came from a teaching background. Every single thing you described there is why I left. Far too much expected, outside of the teaching remit for little pay and little support.

Aye. Giving the college sector a go next year. Then back to industry if it doesn't work out. Workload is actually ok. Being treated like a child less so.

Reply 12

ThomH97

I'd be in favour of it, though I don't think anyone's claiming it would be mandated for every single job. There are current jobs that require six days a week and also jobs that require extra hours on weekends, that's despite saying Monday to Friday is the 'norm'. If I could do four 10-hour days then 3 days off including a weekday, I would very much prefer that to five 8-hour days with only two days off that everyone else has off.

Specifically for schools though, I wouldn't want to extend the school day as kids will lose focus and also cause issues for their parents if the parents don't have a 4-day week to match. If you were to keep the school day the same length though, I wouldn't automatically assume education would need to be extended by 3 years as you could jsut set more homework and have a greater emphasis on home learning. The childcare issue still stands though.