A business day is used to describe the typical hours in a day when normal business operations are known to take place. If there are no holidays, then note that 7-10 business days refers to seven to ten consecutive days that fall within the period between Monday to Friday.
A business day is ideally Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding holidays. Have it in mind that business days are the way the working world tracks delivery dates, contract times, deal closings, and much more. Business days have varying definitions across the globe.
Note that these variations may be as a result of labor practices in that country, traditions, religious observances, and more. For instance, in the United States and Europe, Saturday and Sunday are not considered business days. Meanwhile, in Israel and some Muslim countries, Sunday is a business day but Friday is not. And while there are 365 calendar days in a year, there are around 260 working days in a given year.
Note that the number of business days varies annually and will depend on whether or not the start or end dates of the year falls on a weekend. Also note that there is an exception for leap year, which takes away a day of the year every four years. Some cultures use their own calendar, but most workers will work with the 365-day annual calendar.
Some businesses build their calendar around the fiscal year, known as an accounting designation used to evaluate how a business performed in the previous year. For the aim of scheduling, have it in mind that a good number of industries leverage “business day” as shorthand for a standard 9-to-5 day, with 5 p.m. serving as the closing time for the end of a business day.
In the finance sector in the United States, a business day is used to describe when the New York Stock Exchange is open — from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time. For people in Central time, Atlantic Time, Mountain Time, or Pacific Time, it varies based on the industry.
How Long is 7 – 10 Business Days?
If there are no holidays, then note that 7-10 business days refers to seven to ten consecutive days that fall within the period between Monday to Friday. If you start counting on Monday, then seven to ten business days from Monday would fall within the following Wednesday and the Monday after.
Truth be told, the length of a single business day is not set. Rather, as each company stipulates its own operating hours, they also stipulate the length of their day and how it should be counted. Have it in mind that a good number of modern companies stick with the 24-hour day’s schedule, but many consider 9 AM to 5 PM local time to make up the standard day.
The ideas and concept of a business day have been disputed by numerous people, especially employees. This has been a result of modern employers allowing employees to switch to more flexible schedules, especially those workers whose jobs are online based, where there is little or no difference between a work day and a weekend.
Other Considerations You Need to Understand
To properly understand what a business day is, there are other factors or considerations you need to understand. They include;
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Business Days are not the same as Working Days
Note that retail establishments and some establishments in certain industries like healthcare are known to stay open through the weekends to attend to customers, and these days are often considered “working days”. However, you need to understand that the delivery of goods only happens on business days. Therefore, if a customer orders appliances on Saturday they will most likely have them at home sometime next week.
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The 40-Hour Week
Businesses started to work with the 40-hour workweek in the United States during the 1940s and owing to that, the weekend was considered to fall over Saturday and Sunday. However, you need to understand that guidelines stipulated by the International Labor Organization (ILO) are used to decide the number of days and hours businesses are meant to work in a week.
With current standards set by the ILO limiting the hours worked per week to 48 hours, countries like the Philippines are known to maximize the number of working days as businesses tend to stay open from Monday to Saturday. The number of days and hours worked by employees is also the subject of numerous studies and some have gone on to prove those shorter workweeks are beneficial for productivity.
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Holidays and their Impact on Business Days
You need to understand that the productivity of employees has a direct link to the economy of that country, and it more or less remains a valid factor when it comes to stipulating business days. Note that countries tend to minimize the number of public holidays in a year to guarantee that employees work to their full potential.
Have it in mind that switching jobs often entails that employees will need to adapt to working longer or shorter hours during the day, and in multinational companies, business days are extensively considered before decisions are made. Therefore, if you are part of a globally spread workforce, it might be ideal to start using a business day calculator.
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The Rise of the Four-Day Workweek
One consideration gaining widespread attention globally is the four-day workweek, and it is known to total up to 32 hours. Most often, the four-day workweek entails that employees have to put in longer hours per day so that they can attain the normal 40 hours, and they then take the rest of the days off as part of the weekend.
Have it in mind that the concept of the shorter work week has enjoyed massive popularity in recent times especially since experts have shown that employees tend to be more productive from Tuesday through Thursday. A good number of companies have already been implementing the shorter four-day week over the world as an experiment and have witnessed varying levels of success with it.
Conclusion
Business days are more or less how employers and employees keep time. Have it in mind that changes in business days happen unexpectedly. While you may not always be aware of the changes, as a business owner, it is imperative to keep yourself abreast of every slight change or alteration. The world of business is going places and it is very important you keep up.