How to Implement a 4-Day Work Week?

Do you know that 77% of workers reported a significant boost in productivity while working a 4-day workweek? Recognizing this employee efficiency, many companies are now transitioning from a five-day workweek to this innovative new work schedule.

However, implementing a 4-day work week isn't just about reducing work hours; it's a strategic shift that requires careful planning and execution. As a company owner, you might wonder, ‘How can I get started’? Well, don’t worry.

Join us as we explore how to set up a 4-Day Work Week and some valuable information that will help you successfully implement.

Benefits of 4-Day Work Week

The concept of a 4-Day Work Week, which allows employees to work 4 “normal length” days instead of 5 without loss in pay, appeals to both the employees and companies due to its numerous benefits:

1. Greater Work-Life Balance

One of the most significant advantages of a shortened workweek is improved work-life balance. With an extra day off each week, employees have more time to recharge, pursue personal interests, and spend quality time with family and friends. The result? Improved mental health, happiness, and job satisfaction!

2. Reduced Absenteeism

A 4-day work week can reduce employee absences and unplanned time off. Employees are more likely to handle personal matters during their three-day weekend, reducing the need for disruptive midweek leaves. This, in turn, leads to a consistent and reliable workforce at the same pay.

3. Cost Savings

Both employees and employers can experience cost savings with a 4-day work week. Employees can save money on commuting expenses, work attire, and meals at the office. On the contrary, employers can benefit from reduced recruitment and overhead costs, such as electricity and maintenance, as offices may remain closed on the fifth day.

Check out the complete list of benefits of the 4-day workweek.

Step-by-Step Guide for Implementing a 4-Day Workweek

Let's explore a step-by-step guide on how to implement a four-day workweek:

Step 1: Evaluate Company Readiness for a Four-Day WorkWeek

To implement a 4-day work week, it's essential first to evaluate your company's readiness. This involves understanding the organizational culture and operational capabilities to handle such a transition.

It starts with a deep dive into the current business model, considering factors like flexibility, employee attitudes, and the feasibility of maintaining productivity with reduced working hours.

• Assess Organizational Culture: Investigate if your company culture is conducive to flexibility and change. A culture that values work-life balance will likely succeed in this transition.
• Operational Feasibility Analysis: Examine how a four-day workweek will affect your business operations, including potential impacts on client services and product delivery.
• Employee Engagement Survey: Conduct surveys or hold focus groups to understand employee views on a shorter work week. This feedback is critical for tailoring the approach to your specific workforce.
• Leadership Buy-In: Ensure you have the support of senior management. Their backing is crucial for implementing any significant changes within the entire organization.
• Flexibility for Different Roles: Recognize that the four-day workweek may not be feasible for all roles. Prepare to have flexible arrangements for positions that require traditional scheduling.

Step 2: Develop a Detailed Implementation Plan

After assessing readiness, the next step is to craft a well-thought-out implementation plan. This plan should clearly outline the steps, timelines, and resources needed to transition to a 4-day work week. A well-structured plan will help manage this significant work culture and operations shift.

Here’s what to do in this phase:

• Define your New Work Week: Decide how you want your 4-day work week to operate. For example, is every Friday off, or do you implement shift rotations, where one team works from Monday to Thursday and another from Tuesday to Friday to ensure five-day coverage? Other questions you may want to address are how it affects holiday / PTO allowance, whether the 4-day week still happens during weeks with public holidays, how it affects part-time workers, etc.
• Trial Period Setup: Start with a pilot program to test the new working schedule. Use this period to identify and address potential challenges. This pilot phase will typically be implemented for a set duration (e.g., 6 months) and be tested on a subset of the company’s staff (e.g., the marketing & engineering departments).
• Communication Strategy: Develop a robust communication plan to inform and engage employees, management, and other stakeholders about the new work schedule.
• Policy Revision: Update existing policies to reflect the change. This includes revising leave, PTO allowance, public holidays, part-time working, overtime, and work-hour policies.
• Technology and Resource Allocation: Ensure you have the technology and resources to support the new work structure, which is incredibly remote work. It is common for companies to implement new software and processes during this period, e.g., increased automation & AI, new productivity tools, etc.

If you are unsure how to design your 4-day work week, check out our recent blog with Joe O’Connor addressing the most common FAQs or get in touch to book a free 30-minute call.

Step 3: Run a Pilot Program (Trial)

With the foundational elements in place, it's time to launch pilot programs to evaluate the feasibility of the four-day workweek.

It’s essential to understand that achieving perfection is not the immediate goal; instead, it should focus on identifying the tools and processes necessary to make the reduced working hours function effectively.

Running a pilot program for a four-day workweek involves two primary approaches:

Do it Yourself

Here’s how companies can run and manage pilot programs independently:

• Pilot Program Initiation: Begin the pilot program by reducing work hours while maintaining productivity expectations.
• Trial and Error: Embrace a trial-and-error approach, addressing issues as they arise and viewing them as opportunities for improvement.
• Employee Input: Foster an environment where employees can freely voice their concerns and share ideas to optimize the new work schedule.
• Tool Identification: Identify the tools and processes required to implement the four-day workweek successfully.

Get Expert Help

Expert consultancies like 4 Day Week Global can be a great option if companies struggle to run the trial effectively. This premium consultancy has several solutions in place to help you implement a shorter workweek smoothly:

• Foundation Course: This self-paced course provides access to essential tools and skills for successfully implementing a four-day workweek. Participants learn from experts while managing the process at their own pace​​. View course
• Pilot Program: This is a coordinated six-month trial where companies can join other pioneering organizations in a four-day workweek trial. It offers unique support from leading experts and access to the necessary tools to make the initiative successful​​. See pilot programme
• Consulting Services: Tailored for larger organizations, this bespoke program offers one-on-one expert guidance and mentoring to companies considering or piloting a four-day workweek. See consulting services

Other four-day week consultancies are:

• Smarter Workweek
• Worktime Reduction Centre of Excellence
• Four Day Workweek Campaign

Adopting these experts in workplace transformation makes your transition to a 4-day workweek feel like a breeze.

Step 4: Analyze the Results

During your pilot program, you should constantly measure KPIs and get feedback from employees and stakeholders to determine if the 4-day work week benefits your business.

Consider these aspects:

• Employee Surveys: Conduct interviews and surveys with employees to gather qualitative and quantitative data on employee well-being and experiences. You can ask questions about their work-life balance, productivity, ability to complete work, happiness, stress, job satisfaction, etc.
• Measure KPIs: Measure KPIs such as revenue, sales, operational costs, productivity, absenteeism, and other quantitative metrics to evaluate the impact of the four-day workweek.

The first few weeks of a pilot are often the most difficult to navigate as there is significant change to processes. So it’s best to be agile and adapt policies & procedures based on the findings of your four-day workweek.

Step 5: Scale Up and Keep Refining

After successfully implementing the pilot program and addressing the emerging issues, the next phase is scaling up the reduced work hours policy and maintaining its effectiveness over the long term. This involves the following steps:

• Permanent Implementation: Transition to a permanent fewer hours working policy after a successful pilot program, making it an integral part of the organizational culture. If you only piloted with a subsection of your company, now is the time to roll it out across all teams.
• Cultural Integration: Embed new practices into the workplace culture to sustain productivity and better work-life balance as the norm. Remember to update your job descriptions and website - recruitment will suddenly become more accessible.
• Long-term Metrics: Continuously monitor success metrics over time to ensure that the benefits of the four-day workweek persist. Foster a culture of continuous improvement and experimentation, consistently seeking ways to enhance the effectiveness of the 4-day work week.
• Adapt to Challenges: Be prepared to address new challenges that may arise as the organization grows or changes.

Success Stories of Companies That Adopted a Four-Day Workweek

Several companies have successfully implemented a four-day workweek to improve work-life balance and increase productivity. Let's explore three such success stories:

Buffer

Buffer began experimenting with a four-day workweek in May 2020. The results were highly positive, with 91% of employees reporting they felt happier and more productive. This overwhelmingly positive feedback led the company to permanently implement the four-day workweek policy.

Bolt Financial

In 2021, Bolt Financial conducted a three-month trial of the four-day workweek. The trial's success was evident, with 94% of employees wanting to continue. Consequently, the company decided to implement the four-day workweek permanently for all employees, commencing on January 1st, 2022.

Microsoft Japan

In 2019, Microsoft Japan experimented with the four-day workweeks and observed a remarkable 40% increase in productivity. The success of this trial led them to continue with the policy. While the U.S. offices of Microsoft have not yet adopted this policy, the success in Japan highlights the potential benefits and feasibility of a shorter workweek in a large multinational corporation​.

Frequently Asked Questions - (FAQs)

Are there any challenges with a 4-day workweek?

Yes, challenges exist. The main issues include workload management, ensuring productivity doesn't drop, and maintaining communication with clients and stakeholders who operate on a 5-day schedule. Adapting to this model may require significant operational scheduling and task delegation adjustments.

How does a 4-day workweek affect customer service?

A 4-day work week can impact customer service by potentially reducing the availability of support. Companies need to manage resources efficiently to ensure customer needs are met promptly. Innovative solutions like shift rotations can help mitigate these challenges, e.g., one team could work Monday to Thursday, and another could work Tuesday to Friday, ensuring 5-day coverage.

Can all industries implement a 4-day work week?

Not all industries can quickly adopt a four-day workweek. Industries with continuous operations, like healthcare and manufacturing, may face difficulties in restructuring work schedules without affecting output or service levels. Before transitioning to this model, each industry must consider its unique operational demands and 4-day workweek guidelines.

Final Thoughts

Implementing a 4-day work week represents a bold step toward a more balanced, productive, and fulfilling work culture. Following the above guide, companies can smoothly transition to this innovative work environment.

If your company wants to switch to a 4-day work week, book a free 30-minute call to chat with our founder, Phil McParlane.