Will Japan fully embrace the four day work week?

There's something special to me about the Golden Week holiday break. Having an extended period of days off in succession means that I can catch up on things that need to be done around the house, explore places in my local area, spend time doing leisurely activities like cycling, taking long walks, or blogging, and just simply enjoying that relaxed vacation feeling. I'm honestly excited about the prospect of getting started on work tasks after the break thanks to that refreshed and rejuvenated vibe I've already got going on.

It got me thinking – there has been a lot of buzz in other countries about adopting a four day work week, and it seems that Japan is beginning to hop on board with it… in certain sectors, anyway. Ibaraki's government employees (in all sectors except for teachers and shift workers) have been afforded this option as of the new fiscal year, with the hope that it will alleviate employee's scheduling with things like children's appointments and care for aging relatives, plus freeing up time for people to engage in personal development activities.

Pic Credit: Free use via Easy Peasy AI

The benefits of a four day workweek are wide-ranging, and don't just apply to the health and wellbeing of employees – although that is one of the key points. This article from the World Economic Forum looked at the impact of a four day workweek in Spain,  and another of the key positives was that it reduced pollution thanks to less people commuting. At a time when the environment needs our help more than ever, I think it's a good added incentive to consider this kind of work format.

Some companies might worry that having a four day workweek could see a drop in productivity, but it seems like it actually helps, not hinders that. In the same article from the World Economic Forum, it was noted that 46% of companies saw no change to their productivity, but 34% saw a slight improvement and 15% saw a significant improvement. I'm sure that's bolstered by the fact that when employees feel rested and less stressed, it's a whole lot easier to concentrate on the job at hand.

What would a four day workweek mean to you? Do you think your employer would implement this kind of work setup, or are you in a critical profession with specific days and hours mandated for you?