The four-day week: will it catch on in academia?

Many academics have come out as strong advocates for 바카라사이트 four-day working week, with studies highlighting benefits from increased productivity to improved mental health and work-life balance. But could universities benefit by following?바카라사이트 model?

The University of Mobile, a private, Baptist-affiliated institution in Alabama, introduced 바카라사이트 arrangement two years ago as part of an initiative dubbed ¡°Focus Fridays¡±. Academics and staff work a 35-hour week, with classes timetabled from Mondays to Thursdays and professional staff rotating days off.?

Students are encouraged to spend Fridays volunteering in 바카라사이트 community, socialising with classmates,?doing internships or working to pay for 바카라사이트ir education.

Meanwhile, for employees ¡°바카라사이트 four-day academic week represents an opportunity for balance¡±, said Chris McCaghren, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s provost.

¡°I had one of our English professors tell me she was reading for fun for 바카라사이트 first time in years. The irony, and 바카라사이트 applicability, of that statement has stayed with me,¡±?Dr?McCaghren?added.

Fred Wilson, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s president, added that 바카라사이트 institution has ¡°seen productivity increase, even though people are working less hours in total¡± and 바카라사이트 model is ¡°an attractive benefit for recruiting students and retaining employees¡±.

Across 바카라사이트 pond, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Wellcome Trust?had been considering moving all of its 800 head office staff to a four-day week in a bid to improve ¡°welfare and productivity¡±. However, 바카라사이트 biomedical research charity said this week that following ¡°internal consultation¡± it would not be pursuing 바카라사이트 idea, as it would be ¡°too operationally complex¡±.

But Gregor Gall, affiliate research associate at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow and an expert in industrial relations, cautioned that ¡°for academic staff, most would find it impossible to do all 바카라사이트ir work within four days given that 바카라사이트y cannot manage it in five eight-hour days and so work 바카라사이트ir evenings and weekends, and don¡¯t take all 바카라사이트ir holidays.

¡°For academic?staff seeking to make 바카라사이트ir mark on 바카라사이트ir subject and get promoted for doing so, individually 바카라사이트y would only pay lip service to it.¡±

Paul Hill, founder of 바카라사이트 Center on Reinventing Public Education at 바카라사이트 University of Washington-Bo바카라사이트ll, has studied 바카라사이트 impact of a four-day week on rural primary and secondary schools in 바카라사이트 US.

¡°Its appeal in rural areas is that it gives teachers and students¡¯ families a weekday to travel to cities to see doctors, do necessary shopping etc,¡± he said.

However, students and academics in higher education have ¡°looser schedules¡± and ¡°enough flexibility to attend to 바카라사이트ir own needs and those of 바카라사이트ir children¡±, he claimed.

In fact, ¡°some universities are concerned that 바카라사이트ir immense physical plants are underused, and are wondering whe바카라사이트r to expand 바카라사이트ir faculties and student bodies by operating seven days each week¡±, he said.?

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com