Employee questions why Singapore cannot adopt four-day work week
An employee in Singapore is asking why companies cannot adopt a four-day work week through staggered shifts.
This will allow businesses to maintain five-day operations while giving employees an extra day off, argued the Original Poster (OP) on Reddit.
Four-day work week with staggered shifts
The OP put forward their argument in a post on 24 Aug.
They suggested splitting teams into different groups.
While one group would work from Monday to Thursday, another works from Tuesday to Friday.
The arrangement would mean that all employees get a four-day work week, while the company continues to have staff working throughout the week.
Source: Reddit
“Obviously, I might be missing something and oversimplifying. But wouldn’t this work in practice?” the OP asked.
They added that the system could work well for roles where tasks can be handed over easily, and employees need not be present at the same time.
They listed industries such as advertising, media, digital marketing, technology, finance, HR, consulting, customer service, and administrative roles as possible candidates.
“Singapore needs more work life balance,” concluded the OP.
Netizens share why four-day work week won’t work
However, netizens were quick to point out potential problems with the arrangement.
A commenter argued that staggered schedules could actually slow down work, with a request possibly taking several more working days to resolve.
Source: Reddit
Another netizen questioned whether companies could realistically operate with only half their workforce on Mondays and Fridays.
Source: Reddit
A Redditor also warned that employers might reduce headcount if businesses discovered they could operate with fewer staff on certain days.
Source: Reddit
Meanwhile, another netizen felt that such an arrangement will not work because Singapore is “pro business”.
Source: Reddit
MS News has reached out to the OP for comment.
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Featured image adapted from catchlights_sg on Canva for illustration purposes only.
