Professionals who are seeking work or want to make adjustments to their present position can choose from a range of flexible working options. One of these options is to work 4 days a week. In India, where the Center is creating four new labor laws that will dramatically change employee compensation, PF payments, and working hours, the 4-day workweek is a unique concept. The employees are required to work a minimum of 48 hours each week or 12 hours per day.
It may be more challenging in some industries, such as construction, manufacturing, healthcare, etc., even though it is doable in some, like IT. However, let’s examine the benefits and drawbacks of this timetable and offer some advice to make the most of this job paradigm.
What is a 4-Day Workweek?
A ‘4-day workweek’ is a work schedule in which full-time employees work four days per week rather than the usual five. It is normal for employees to work this schedule, which has become widespread in many countries and businesses, from Monday to Thursday. In contrast to a compact work schedule, which requires employees to put in the exact number of hours over fewer days, the timetable is different. For example, they could put in 4 days of 10-hour a day.
Will a 4-day workweek work in India?
Many individuals in India are optimistic amid the global debate over a 4-day workweek since their government drafted new labor rules that were intended to go into effect on July 1. Four new labor codes that were created by the Center will dramatically change employee pay, PF payments, and working hours. This shift won’t affect every industry the same way. While a 4-day workweek is easy to execute in corporate offices for businesses including e-commerce, technology, insurance, and banking, insurance, it is impossible for sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing.
12-hour shifts can be challenging in the manufacturing sector, where continuous activities are carried out in a cyclical manner. It is also not humanely possible for factory workers to work in a repetitious mode for that long. According to a code, employees are not allowed to work more than eight hours a day. Consequently, a 4-day work week will not be practical in this industry due to the regulations and the nature of the work. A 4-day work week is insufficient for sectors like agriculture and healthcare, which require constant attention.
On the other hand, this working paradigm can help the unorganized sector, where employees are already putting in 12 hours or more per day, by embracing the laws of the new labor standards and providing some degree of transparency to these sectors. The performance of the pilot projects has also lent support to the 4-day work week, which offers a number of advantages. Given the scale of the unorganized sector and the proportion of the workforce, it employs in India, nationwide adoption of a 4-day workweek may be difficult.
