What Is Downshifting & Its Significance

What Is Downshifting & Its Significance

7-8 minutes

Downshifting is a strategic career decision taken by a person, focusing on lowering one''s progression by reducing workload and working hours.

Table of Content

• What is Downshifting?
• Why do employees go for downshifting?
• To what extent is downshifting popular among corporates?
• Downshifting for family betterment
• Perks of Downshifting to employers and employees

What is Downshifting?

Downshifting is a strategic career decision taken by a person, focusing on lowering one''s progression by reducing workload and working hours.

Why do employees go for downshifting?

While employees'' reasons for downshifting as a career transition are surely as varied as their ages and situations, three reasons seem to surface time and again:

• Part-time Transition: For most older workers, downshifting is a transition from full-time work. This is because there is a shift in priorities and values, leading to most of them turning their full-time job into a part-time job. Just like how they did in their youthful days, focusing on climbing the great corporate career, now they would rather have more time doing hobbies, personal well-being, or just savoring quality time with family and their grandchildren while still having income. This may be used to be assumed, yet people might receive a pension at age 65, but that is less of a sure thing for the retiree nowadays. The result is that some workers see downshifting as the answer to a more secure retirement, as they gradually work less and less rather than just stop one day.
• Work-Life Balance: Many workers choose downshifting because they seek work-life balance overall. By reducing responsibilities and working hours, they try to create space in their lives for leisure pursuits, personal interests, and family commitments without sacrificing too much income.

To what extent is downshifting popular among corporates?

Downshifting has become more popular recently among professionals from these backgrounds for these reasons:

• People in age groups X, Y, and Z can, without a doubt, opt for downshifting. This option is probably going to prove a way of retiring in the future. It is an emergency brake for those with behavioral or burnout issues. This position needs to make it clear that downshifting does not mean only retirement planning.
• Young professionals begin to withdraw more and more from their work. In most cases, these young specialists, professionals, or managers are already panicking or under severe stress from their situation. This more or less directly correlates with the fact of working on the verge of burnout—if an employee is climbing the career ladder, their pressure and strain imposed on them are that much greater.
• It is a way for them to make their current challenging situation more bearable. Downshifting can help reduce health risks and improve well-being, allowing employees to come out stronger from difficult times without necessarily having to change jobs. This is often quoted as a reason by employees opting for downshifting since it allows the employee to balance work-life and home more effectively. In fact, being a good family person can well be a full-time job, with time management and budgeting on the top of skills required. But quitting the job and foregoing the income is just not done in this century. The mix of child-rearing and working can take adults to the brink of burnout in an alarmingly short period.

Perks of Downshifting to Employers and Employees

Employees reduce the number of work hours as per the decision made by the employee and spend time at home.

It would serve both employers and employees in the sense that it would eventually limit the number of hours in a working day and in the length of the working week.

Benefits for Employers:

• Greater Retention Rates: When organizations show empathy and, in consequence, their understanding of the situation of the employees and readiness to help them out in downsizing, it is an indicator that organizations do care for and appreciate the employees. This can bolster standing a greater chance to hold an employee with a company for the stipulated term because they felt valued and acknowledged. This reduces the need to fill positions at costs greater than an organization can afford. In turn, the rate of turnover then results in less cost having to be put into filling those positions.
• Increased Productivity: When there are many tasks, colleagues can get overloaded with work and, subsequently, reach a point of exhaustion or burnout. On the hand, employees who delegate tasks and responsibilities experience a workload and feel less stressed. They can work freely. Better manage their time in spite of working fewer hours. This eventually results in increased productivity for those who downshift.
• Absenteeism Avoidance: People who are workaholics (and might even be burnt out) are more susceptible to catching other health problems. Downshifting can be applied to reduce long-term absences chances and is more cost-effective compared to the acquisition of new resources.

Benefits for Employees:

• Better Health: As explained already, downshifting can act as a sort of emergency brake to prevent illnesses. Even the reduction in work responsibilities allows the employees to rejuvenate and regenerate themselves. In addition, many people who downshift also take this opportunity to live a lifestyle that prevents such eventualities from arising again in life.
• Better Work–Leisure Balance: This could mean that if one''s daily working hours were reduced from eight hours to six hours, such a person gains an additional six hours a day. This free time is employed in ensuring a healthy mix of work along with leisure activities.
• Greater Happiness via QOL: In general, family, friends, and hobbies often are casualties due to time spent in the office. This annoyance of no-quality time can be balanced by decreased interest in life. Where those who can make time for things and personal development have an increase in their total satisfaction and live an increase in overall happiness.
• Retained Income: Although not getting the complete full amount of their wages, employees who downshift have more control over the amount of earnings that they are willing to sacrifice or can afford compared to severing ties with a job altogether. With the negotiation of good salaries, the downshifter can eventually earn a living that will be used to meet their expenses without too many constraints and without the poverty that threatens additional stress.

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