Why Working Men Are Suddenly Becoming More Involved In Parenting
A study found that working men who participated in a four-day workweek trial spent more time parenting and bonding with their children.
There have been many trials of a four-day workweek across the globe, but one positive outcome, which no one thought about, was that men who participated in the trial spent more time with their children.
This four-day workweek trial was carried out in the United Kingdom. During the six-month trial, nearly 3,000 workers across over 60 companies worked 80% of their contracted hours for the same wages. By companies agreeing not to decrease their pay, working men and women vowed to deliver the same amount of work. This trial is the most extensive four-day workweek trial that has been completed so far.
Now that the trial is finished, many participants completed a questionnaire to give an account of their experience. With working a decreased number of hours a week, male workers spent over 27% more time with their children. While female workers said that their childcare increased by 13%. A shorter workweek shows a more even distribution of household tasks and chores is possible.
All workers stated that it was easier to combine caring responsibilities and be more social on a shorter work week. Both working men and women benefited from having a shorter week, but women’s experience was significantly better. Spending less time at work reduced burnout and life and job satisfaction. Also, it significantly reduced the amount people were spending commuting.
This study was run by 4DWG in partnership with Cambridge University, Oxford University, and Boston College.
Overall it was a great success, with over 90% of the company’s continuing a four-day workweek after the trial was completed. 71% of workers said they had lower burnout levels, and 40% experienced fewer sleepless nights.
In a separate trial, both top management and working men and women described how partaking in a four-day workweek changed their lives. They had more time to complete many daily jobs, participate in a hobby and recharge their body and mind.
This trial followed another trial completed in America and Ireland, where over 900 workers in 33 companies worked on a four-day working week instead of a full five-day. This trial was even more successful, with no company returning to a traditional five-day workweek.
This way of working has really gained popularity in the last number of years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was at this time that a lot of people switched to remote or hybrid working. Both employees and employers realized that the working week did not need to be so inflexible and that most employees flourished under a more relaxed schedule. Also, a lot of working men and women loved that they didn’t speed so much of their week commuting to and from work.
The traditional working week was implemented when women mostly stayed home and didn’t work, but now most parents are working, leaving them to battle with childcare and household chores. By reducing the workweek to four days, could relieve some pressure on young families, both financially and emotionally. It seems like all employers and employees that have trialed such weeks are happy with the results it has produced.
