Can a 4-1/2 day workweek module be a game changer in India?

While multinationals often “import policies” from their parent countries, some say India needs to account for contextual issues such as timeliness, general work ethic, professionalism, and other issues related to employee trust. (Illustration by Suneesh Kalarickal)

When various countries abroad ran 4-day workweek trials, eyebrows were raised on the questions of implementation in India. Well, it's no longer a question. Skincare brand NAOS India has announced a 4.5-day workweek module, starting December 2022 in UAE and India.

Employees are expected to clock in 9 hours a day with the clock-in time being flexible from 8 AM to 9:30 PM.

Before launching the new work structure, the firm conducted numerous trials, the most recent taking place during monsoon this year. “We used to count travel time as working hours, so an employee who travelled two hours to get to the office had to work precisely seven hours instead of nine or ten,” Sanjay Sahu, MD at NAOS told Moneycontrol.

Currently, the company has 100 employees including contractual workers. Only head office-based employees –27– are eligible for a 4.5 workweek schedule. Field staff will continue to operate as per the regular work policy.

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Though it has been only 28 days since launch, Sahu said employees are getting extra time to manage their work-life balance and indulge in self-learning and pursue their hobbies. “Also, planning their weekends basis this benefit, where travel with their friends and family is possible.”

Further, there is a “significant reduction” in the office running cost, he said.

A step towards the future?

In September, New York Times reported most of the companies participating in a four-day workweek pilot program in Britain said they had seen no loss of productivity during the experiment and in some cases had seen a significant improvement, according to a survey of participants published Wednesday.

Nearly halfway into the six-month trial, in which employees at 73 companies get a paid day off weekly, 35 of the 41 companies that responded to a survey said they were “likely” or “extremely likely” to consider continuing the four-day workweek beyond the end of the trial in late November.

All but two of the 41 companies said productivity was either the same or had improved. Remarkably, six companies said productivity had significantly improved.

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However, HR experts in India say 4 or 4.5 work weeks are not an easy ball game. “When we look at the moon, we often forget that it has a dark side too. Similarly, while all the good things are in order, as an organisation, we have to be thoughtful about its other side too,” warns Karan Jain, Founder of HROne.

According to him, the other side includes cost, equality, risk, difficulty in team management and so on. Jain also said working longer does not necessarily mean working better.

Will it hit productivity?

Experts say as an emerging economy India today is an attractive destination for most MNCs as well as a great environment for entrepreneurs who simply cannot afford to close the shutters for 3 days a week, especially after the economic disruption caused by the pandemic.

“The Indian corporate world is ruled by the IT industry, which is often called the ‘outsourcing destination’. Since most Indian companies are customer-centric, round-the-clock services make it difficult for Indian companies to adopt a 4.5-day workweek,” said Nandita Krishan, a general manager at HR consultancy firm Marching Sheep.

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It might work for labour-intensive sectors and manufacturing companies to squeeze in a work week in 4 days but it is not feasible for all sectors, she added.

While multinationals often “import policies” from their parent countries, some say India needs to account for contextual issues such as timeliness, general work ethic, professionalism, and other issues related to employee trust.

“The nature of work in the Indian context demands that flexibility is viewed with a much more holistic lens,” said Nitin Nahata, CHRO of gaming firm Gameskraft.

For instance, Gameskraft focused more on the flexibility of clock-in time. Employees are welcome to come to the office anytime up to 11 AM and they have the freedom to clock out any time after 5 PM depending on their clock-in time.

“Many employees make use of this flexibility to plan their commute in the legendary Bangalore traffic or around their domestic chores,” Nahata said, adding, “Under the hybrid work policy, employees can work outside of the office for up to five days in a month.”

A hope indeed

With Generation Z joining the workforce and most startups and MNCs realising the potential of a multi-generational workforce, Krishan believes the 4.5 workweek introduced by NAOS can set the wheel rolling for other Indian companies as well.

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“We are only hoping for it to not become a rollercoaster ride and would want it to become something that takes the graph upward, could be slow but upwards only,” said Jain.

Different people have differing career aspirations at differing stages in their work life. Nahata explained that an early career professional may prefer a work environment that lets them put in the hours, learn and thrive more whereas a mid-career professional may appreciate the flexibility to take care of domestic chores.

“The key to a successful working environment is trust and empowerment and the flexibility employees can have because of it,” he added.