I appeared on BBC last week to talk about the 4-day work week, a polarising topic that's not just about work-life balance—it's our last shot at retaining millions of women in the workforce.

On BBC Sunday Morning Live, I debated this issue with Claire Campbell, Charlie Mullins OBE, and Sunil Sharma. While some argued it's impossible to do five days' work in four, my point is different. What if we understood that we're not paying for time, but actually for productivity and output?

This isn't just theory. Companies like Deutsche Telekom have successfully implemented 4-day weeks, seeing increased productivity and employee satisfaction. Microsoft Japan experienced a staggering 40% increase in productivity during their trial. And as an added bonus, this flexibility is crucial for women managing careers and families.

It's not about working less, but working smarter and more efficiently.

The pandemic proved we can adapt quickly when necessary. Now, we need to evolve our work structures to support women through various life stages—pregnancy, childcare, menopause, and elderly parent caregiving. The current system, based on an outdated male-centric approach, is failing to retain women in the workforce in ever increasing numbers.

At WCorp, we're committed to certifying organizations as safe, supportive workplaces for women.

Why?

Well, our goal is to create systemic infrastructural change, ensuring workplaces naturally accommodate for and build in women's unique life and health experiences.

We're not just talking about boardrooms—we're focusing on building supportive environments from the ground up, allowing women to progress through organizations and reach senior positions.

The benefits of this approach are clear and substantial:

• Increased profitability: Companies with high gender diversity on executive teams are 25% more likely to have above-average profitability.
• Enhanced innovation: Companies with at least 30% female leaders had 15% higher innovation revenue.
• Better talent attraction and retention: Organizations with the highest representation of women on boards financially outperform those with the lowest by 66%.

It's time for a radical change. The 4-day work week isn't just a perk—it's a necessity for creating truly inclusive workplaces. It allows for better management of childcare, reduces stress, and provides the flexibility that many women (and indeed parents) need to balance their professional and personal lives.

It's also about economic sense. Gender equality represents a $12 trillion economic opportunity. By failing to adapt, we're missing out on enormous potential for growth and innovation.

The clock is ticking. Every day we delay, we risk losing more talented women from the workforce. Visit wcorporation.org to learn how your organization can join this crucial movement and be at the forefront of this necessary change.

I would appreciate if you could share this post so we can create more conversations about workplaces where women can excel.