Over 40% Of Black Americans Would Take Pay Cut For 4-Day Workweek

The four-day workweek is becoming more popular with many people, including Black American workers.

Trimming the workweek to four days has recently become a workplace talking point. While observers say the concept has its ups and downs, a survey of business leaders by ResumeBuilder.com revealed nearly 30% of companies plan to utilize a four-day workweek by late this year.

All told, 94% of those questioned reported they would favor transitioning to such a work week. ResumeBuilder.com surveyed 1,000 full-time office workers who do not already have a four-day workweek and found that 36% would take a pay cut to work that schedule, and 96% say it would enhance their work/life balance.

For Blacks, 97% reported willingness to make the switch. Some 41% would take a pay cut to have a shortened workweek. In all, 112  Black Americans were surveyed.

The analysis comes after the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many businesses to reconsider the traditional workweek schedule, among other workplace issues. The shortened workweek concept has caught on faster globally than in America. Countries including Japan, Spain, South Africa, and the United Kingdom have supposedly tried or are applying the concept. According to Newsweek, over 30 American companies have trialed a four-day workweek, including some making it a permanent option for their workforce.

But what would a four-day workweek look like? Would it perhaps mean fewer hours or be a conventional schedule with 40 hours merged into fewer days? Some analyses have declared pros of a four-day workweek for companies might include cost savings, higher productivity, and employee retention. Contrarily, cons could include scheduling challenges, lower productivity, and more stress for workers to complete their work in a shorter time.

“Some businesses may still be hesitant to change to a 4-day work week, as they will need to renegotiate employment contracts, address holiday pay, and decide on a work schedule for part-timers. However, this change may be worth the challenge as it could also increase employee retention by supporting a better work/life balance,” said ResumeBuilder.com Chief Career Advisor Stacie Haller.

The ResumeBuilder.com survey showed 6% of office workers object to the change. The reason: They don’t want to work 40 hours in four days, preferring to keep 8-hour days as opposed to 10-hour days.

Check out more details from the report, including those admitting working half days or less here.

This article first appeared in Black Enterprise.