Could taking it easy on the weekends be an inconspicuous way to work a four day week?

Dreaming of the weekend? Despite a recent trial that demonstrated 'extensive benefits' to employee wellbeing in a four day working week, it still seems like a far-off dream for many. However, a 'quiet weekend' might be a way to get closer to a three-day break without using up all our holidays. It is all about working smarter, not harder. A 'quiet weekend' involves employees doing their work earlier in the week, so that they can have a calmer end of the week. For those with a traditional Monday to Friday schedule, this means avoiding long meetings, hard deadlines, highly collaborative activities and tasks that cannot be completed in a day on Fridays. For those who are able to work from home, Friday is a popular choice to begin winding down for the weekend. Jill Cotton, careers trends expert at Glassdoor, explains: 'Unlike quiet quitting, quiet weekends are not about doing the least amount of work to prevent getting fired. Quiet weekends are a structured way of maximising productivity throughout the week and allowing us to enjoy the weekends. The tasks saved for 'quiet Friday' usually require specific focus and can be done alone. When done correctly, quiet weekends enable employees to protect their work-life balance and get the most out of their job.' With reports of burnout and overwork increasing in recent years, quiet weekends are a way to regain some of our work-life balance. Jill adds: 'Thanks to the pandemic, how and where we work has been changing, but many employees still struggle to get the right balance between their home and work lives. Our Economic Research team found a sharp rise in mentions of overwork and mental health in employee reviews from 2019 to 2022, and discussion around burnout reached record levels last year. Would you attempt to introduce a 'quiet weekend' into your work routine?



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Visualizing the weekend? Even though a trial recently showed that a four-day work week produced 'considerable advantages' for employee wellbeing, for many of us, it still looks like a far-off dream. But what we're calling 'quiet weekends' may be the way to eventually get closer to that three-day break we're all yearning for - without using up your holiday entitlement. It's all about operating more efficiently, not more strenuously.

A 'quiet weekend' is when employees do their work earlier in the week to create space for a calmer end of the week. For those with a standard Monday to Friday timetable, this typically means clearing Fridays of lengthy meetings, tight deadlines, collaborative activities that demand lots of teamwork or tasks that can't be finished in one day. And for those with the ability to work from home, Friday is a popular choice as they start to relax for the weekend.

Jill Cotton, careers trends expert at Glassdoor explains: 'Unlike quiet quitting, quiet weekends aren't about just getting by and doing the least amount to avoid losing your job. 'Quiet weekends are deliberately structured to maximize your productivity during the week, while putting you in a great position to enjoy the weekend. 'The tasks left for the quiet Friday usually require specific attention or extra mental space and can be completed alone. When done correctly, quiet weekends can be a smart tactic for employees to sustain their work-life balance and get the most out of their job.'

With reports of burnout and overexertion increasing in recent years, quiet weekends are a way to regain your work-life balance.

'Due to the pandemic, how and where we work are constantly changing, but many employees still struggle to get the balance between their home and work lives right,' says Jill. 'Glassdoor's Economic Research team detected an immense rise in mentions of overwork and mental health in employee reviews between 2019 and 2022, and discussion around burnout hit record highs last year.

Would you attempt to implement a 'quiet weekend' into your work schedule? Comment Now

'To fight this, employees are increasingly seeking out companies that give flexibility and independence for their teams.

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