Why is the Four-Day Work Week the Future of Recruitment?

Many life sciences recruitment agencies, or even recruitment as an industry, value the hours worked rather than the output.

In other words, employees were stuck working 9-5 regardless of their output, because the focus was on hours worked instead.

For employees at Panda, the four-day work week was a relatively lowball benefit that could be offered, as the work necessary to receive this benefit is already being done by the majority of employees.

The balance between being productive and making the working week more efficient is the greatest benefit, says Manager of Panda’s Delivery Division, Gemma Dozy:

“It’s all about you enjoying your job and making good ratios. It creates a sense of efficiency for people with their time.”

Rather than being caught up in working more hours for the sake of fulfilling the time, you can use your time wisely and more productively.

When the emphasis is more on your output than hours worked, you can truly focus on immersing yourself in your tasks to achieve the best results.

This means that instead of a culture of micromanaging or burnout, you’re working alongside people who are as equally driven and motivated as you are.

Working in a like-minded team can go a long way in creating a culture that is healthily competitive and balanced, according to Team Leader of our Permanent Division, Christian Steenkamp:

“The culture is very vibrant…, I think we’re all like-minded. We’re working hard but we also want to have fun together. There’s a healthy level of competition.”

For those who are looking to enjoy the benefits of working in life sciences recruitment alongside developing their skillsets, a four-day work week simply allows the opportunity to be around those who want the same thing – working towards a goal together can be extremely empowering for people new to the industry, too!

If the business benefits from your hard work, so should you.

It’s one of the many principles behind Panda’s culture, and it’s evident in the range of benefits that are offered to employees that are to be enjoyed away from work.

A four-day work week means that you can enjoy your downtime away from work, because you’ve put in the hard work to do so.

In many ways, the four-day work week is a growth opportunity for employees, as it gives them the chance to be more creative with how they work and efficient with the results they bring. According to Irene Esteve, Customer Care Consultant, the four-day workweek means she is more productive during the week:

“Before the 4-day work week I found it difficult to make time for my hobbies and friends/family as I would like. I often found myself being tired and without energy after a long week. The possibility of taking Fridays off has given me a better work-life balance than I had before.

I use the extra time to focus on the things that I enjoyed in my private life such as exercising, travelling during the weekends and spending more quality time with my close friends. In addition to this, I find myself being more productive during the week since I have more time to disconnect and recharge my energy during a 3-day weekend.”

Your hard work won’t go unnoticed, and you’ll have more time to balance your work and personal life through things you enjoy.

It redefines the recruitment industry

Recruitment can often have a poor reputation that can put people off considering the industry as a career option.

By prioritising work-life balance and other benefits, the industry can change people’s perception and create an environment that people want to work and grow in.

Flexibility is a major element of inclusivity – offering everyone the same opportunities means that instead of a potentially overworked, toxic environment, there’s one of equality instead.

If you happen to have reservations about recruitment as an industry and the working practices associated with it, a four-day work week can go a long way in providing a positive foundation for you to build your recruitment career.

78% of employees with 4-day weekswere also found to be happier and less stressed, so it’s a win-win situation!

Whether you opt to use the four-day work week or not, your recruitment career and its success are in your hands.

After all, you’ll be the one managing your workload and output to take a three-day weekend.

The Panda team is simply there to support you to take these opportunities and make them your own. The four-day week isn’t just for fee earning staff; Larissa Landim is Social Media Specialist at Panda and she also enjoys this benefit:

“I think the best way to describe the four-day work week is that it gives me the freedom of choice. I feel more relaxed, and my productivity is going skywards. It’s a win-win situation.”

You can focus on being empowered to deliver outputs and achieve targets, rather than focusing on time spent in the office or on the clock.

If being part of an ambitious organisation that you can grow in is something you’re interested in, then Panda is the right place for you.

As we mentioned earlier, having a better work-life balance is arguably the largest benefit that a four-day work week offers.

You can take the extra time to pursue your other interests, whether that means spending time with loved ones, focusing on your physical wellbeing, or even taking time to focus on personal development.

Because you can have a greater balance between your work and your interests in your personal life, you’re far less likely to feel burnt out or demotivated at work.

Start your career in life sciences recruitment with Panda.

If you’re ambitious, motivated, and curious about working in life sciences recruitment, we’d love to help you develop your dream career with us.

Take a look at our vacancies to find out more.