Should Malaysia follow a 4-day work week?

In recent news, we read that the UK is going on a pilot test for 3300 employees to work 4 days a week. In this article, it said that 3300 employees from 70 UK companies have signed up for the biggest 4-day work week trial. The trial will run for 6 months until January 2023.

The trial is organized by 4 Day Work Week Global. Basically, the idea is that employees will work for 4 days a week instead of 5 days. It follows the 100:80:100 model where employees will still receive 100% of their salaries but work 80% of the time. In return, they will have to maintain 100% of their previous productivity.

This was an attempt to “work smarter, not longer” as Iceland shows productivity remains the same at work with this same model. Employees who followed this 4 day work week reported that it has a powerful positive effect on their work-life balance as they can spend more time with their loved ones and complete chores.

Why it works well in some countries

Here’s the thing with a 4 day work week. It only works when the employees are honest and hardworking. If they do an honest day’s work, then the 4 day work week will be effective and can be implemented long term. I should also mention that this is also applicable if the employee commits fully to their work in the office and does not take time off for tea and chit-chat.

If the employee does not follow up on their work, then there is no point in implementing this 4 day work week. What’s the point of implementing this 4 day work week if the employee takes more time off during work hours to go yumcha, take smoke breaks, and god knows what other reasons there are?

In defense of the companies, you are paid to work during work hours. If you have signed an employment letter with the company to work from certain hours to certain hours for a fixed salary, you will need to uphold your end of the deal. However, you can object to staying back after the stipulated hours if you are not paid for overtime. Just make sure you have completed your work and leave nothing out for your employers.

The upside of 4 days work week

Some people may not see the benefits of working 4 days a week. They may have good reasons not to agree with the 4 days of the work week and I am sure they are valid reasons too. However, here are some good reasons why it’s good to have a 4 day work week in Malaysia.

• Commuting to and back from work is hell especially if you are in major cities. Traffic jams can go up to 2 hours and beyond. What some people don’t understand is that commuting is a job on its own. Keeping your mind active and mindful while driving is a job itself. Your mind and body will be tired after commuting in heavy traffic. You will need more rest if that is the case.
• People have a life outside of their work. Ever heard of the saying “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”? Yeah, if you have heard of the saying before, then you know what I am saying here. If you do not know what it means, it simply means that you are constantly working and that you do not have time for yourself. “Not having time for yourself” means that you don’t have the time to pick up a hobby or go see your family and friends. You need a life outside of your work. People are social creatures. Try not to be a hermit, please.
• There are chores to be done. Let’s get real – household chores also require time too. Are you saying we can do laundry, do grocery shopping, and see friends and family members all in 48 hours? That’s impossible. You will also need time to clean the house/apartment too. Who’d want to live in a dirty and unkempt home? It’s disgusting.
• You need time to physically and mentally rest too. If you don’t have health, then how do you gain wealth? It’s good to have enough rest before you return to the office. Take care of yourself first.

The downside of working 4 days a week

With everything that gets implemented, there will always be a downside to it. In this case, working 4 days a week will have its own downside too. Here are some of them.

• People not working an honest day’s work. Some people are just sly, lazy, and dishonest like that. Not saying that all employees are bad but there are some bad apples in the bunch sometimes. If it’s not your colleague, then it’s probably you. Some employees will just work 2 to 3 hours a day, then spend the rest of the day doing non-work-related things. It should not be like that as you are not paid to do things not related to your job.
• Employees coming in late like it’s nothing. Like dude, look. If it’s a 1-time thing, then it’s generally ok. Some, if not most bosses will just close an eye. But if you frequently come in late, then you will need to question yourself why you are coming in late so many times. Remember that you are paid 100% salary and not deducted. Even if it’s a 4 day work week with 100% paycheque does not mean you should take advantage of it.

Should Malaysia implement this 4 day work week?

I’d say no, we should not. I’ll be honest with everyone who reads this article: Malaysia is not ready for a 4 day work week because we love to cut corners with work. Cutting corners with work may not mean we steal work time. It can also translate into doing shoddy work, not taking responsibility for work, and not following through with work.

It’s not to say any other countries don’t do the same thing. However, their problems are theirs to deal with. Our problems are our own to deal with. So we will first need to deal with our problems before looking at anyone else’s.

However, there could be a solution for Malaysian employees who feel very burnt out from work. Why not implement a hybrid schedule where employees work 3 days in the office and 2 days at home? Make it a Flexi thing so some Malaysians don’t have to keep commuting to work. It only works if the industry doesn’t require a high amount of privacy though.

With all that being said, Malaysian employers should explore and look into having a Flexi work week if it allows. Sometimes, things do not need to be so rigid.

Lydia is a content writer under Headliner by Newswav, a programme where content creators get to tell their unique stories through articles and at the same time monetize their content within the Newswav app.
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