What Could a 4-Day Working Week Do for the Construction Industry?
To date the four-day work week has mainly been seen as suitable for office-based roles; where it has been trialed and implemented by forward thinking organisations with both employer and employees reaping the benefits - but what if we widened that opportunity - how could a four-day working week within the construction industry work?
Construction is a huge global industry and is only expected to grow steadily over the next seven years. In 2030, it is projected to be more than twice as big as it was in 2020. Valued at 6.4 trillion U.S. dollars in 2020, it is expected to reach 14.4 trillion in 2030 according to statista.com. Therefore, why should it be left out of the conversation? As the industry looks for new and innovative ways to attract workers and stay competitive, the concept of a four-day work week is gaining momentum.
4-day week is the UK's national campaign fighting for a four-day, 32 hour working week with no loss of pay for workers. So, it is no wonder the appeal is strong with 64% of surveyed Brits in favour of the change if their pay remains the same.
Forward thinking UK organisations with links into the construction industry who have already adopted the 4-day work week are mainly architecture firms and engineering consultancies. Elsewhere, the adoption so far is predominantly limited to digital marketing and tech firms, with FTSE 100 firms like Microsoft, Deloitte, and KPMG also participating in trials and implementing compressed hours for office-based roles. So, it’s no wonder there is a plea for a trial of the same nature within the construction industry to see if it could also be successful.
Some perceive the construction industry as overworked. Just 14% of construction labourer’s work fewer than 40 hours a week, with 13% reporting that they work over 60 hours. This results in workers feeling ‘overworked’, causing fatigue and a lack of concentration on the job - all these side effects are a contributing factor to the higher cause of accidents/fatalities on the job according to ‘Building a Shorter Working Week’, a report by Charlie Hertzog-Young - accident and injury rates in the sector are around 60% higher than the national average.
Employees in the sector also have some of the highest work-related physical and mental health problems, most of which are intimately connected to overwork, cites Charlie Hertzog-Young.
So, what could the benefits be to employees and employers alike? From a safety standpoint, the four-day work week if implemented correctly with a reduction in hours worked overall - could help reduce this risk of injury and accidents on the job with more time to rest and recover between shifts. Additionally, with fewer days of work, employees have more downtime and time to pursue their own interest which could in turn lead to an improvement in overall wellbeing and mental health.
The benefits of this are not just for employees but also employers, with a reduction in sick days, less on-site accidents and an improvement in employee’s health and wellness. The upside could lead to higher productivity, efficiency, motivation, and output. With fewer days of work, workers would have more focused time to complete tasks.
The focus needs to shift from the hours of work and presenteeism to the productivity and outcomes generated.
The appeal of a four-day work week will attract the younger generation into construction, millennial and Gen Z employees are looking for a lifestyle balance with their career, especially when they see this becoming more of a priority in other industries.
Overall, the final view here in James Gray Recruitment is a four-day work week could offer several benefits to the construction industry. While the concept may take some getting used to, and the adoption may be slow - if and when it begins to happen it could be a great way to improve the industry and wellbeing of our workers - what do you think? We would love to hear your views and start the discussion. Get in touch at getus@jamesgrayrecruitment.com
Written by guest post blogger Jen from yournextlevelself.com