Pros and cons of four-day workweek in M'sia, expert shares his views

SHAH ALAM - Four-day workweek? The idea being looked into by several western countries is still needs due consideration, said an academician from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.

Associate Professor Abdul Rahim Zumrah said each country has a different employment system.

He said there are several factors that need to be considered such as the interests and goals of the organisation.

“We are aware that every organisation has monthly and annual projections or targets. If four working days a week does not affect the organisation's projections or targets, then it could be considered as one of the benefits," he told Sinar Harian.

He was asked on four working days a week was applicable in Malaysia. It follows a survey by an online company, Qualtrics, which found that a total of 62 percent of full-time employees in Malaysia prefer flexibility rather tha four working days a week.

This comes as Thousands of UK workers start a four-day work week from this month with no cut to their pay in the largest trial of its kind. The pilot, which will last for six months, involves 3,300 workers spanning 70 companies, ranging from providers of financial services to a fish-and-chip restaurant.

During the programme, workers receive 100% of their pay for working only 80% of their usual week, in exchange for promising to maintain 100% of their productivity.

In Malaysia, Rahim said another matter to be considered was that the majority of public and private sector workers were paid based on working hours five days a week.

Therefore, he said organisation may have to restructure the salaries of employees as they lose eight hours a week for each employee, adding that this would depend on the company and the staff.

Rahim also shared some of the benefits that employees will enjoy if four working days a week was implemented as it would improve work-life balance.

"Economic sectors such as tourism, food, transportation, especially the aviation sector will become more vibrant because three rest days would encourage people to travel, go back hometown, among others," he said.

Furthermore, he said, low-income workers also had the opportunity to undertake side jobs to increase their existing income.