Dozens of companies in Canada are experimenting with a 4 day work week as part of the 4 Day Week Global pilot.
Canada's exploration of the 4-day work week began in early 2022 with a pilot program led by 4 Day Week Global. By October, a second wave of companies joined, aiming to maintain full productivity with reduced hours.
This initiative aims to prove that a 20% reduction in work hours, without pay cut, can still sustain 100% productivity.
Organized by 4 Day Week Global, Boston College
Part of North America's largest 4-day week trial. 9 Canadian companies with ~400 employees participated February 2022 - April 2023. Revenue rose 8% during trial. Almost all companies continued with the policy. Workers reported significantly improved wellbeing and work-life balance.
4 Day Week Global North America Results (opens in new tab)Standard business hours in Canada are 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week. While some industries are federally regulated, such as banking and air transportation, other industries such as engineering, dentistry, and the medical field are permitted to work outside of standard working hours, according to the needs of their business.
Employers in Canada are required to keep records of their employees’ working hours for 36 months in order to prove that they have complied with working hours and overtime laws. In Canada, employees in federally regulated industries are compensated 1.5 times their normal pay for overtime work.
On average, employees in Canada work about 37.5 hours per week.
Compared to most countries, Canada’s vacation time policy is minimal. Although laws vary by province or territory, most require employers to provide at least 10 days off per year to employees, in addition to 9 paid public holidays.
If an employee chooses not to take vacation time, their employer earns the right to decide when the employee will go on vacation. If an employee is terminated with any accrued vacation time, the vacation time is cashed out.
As of October 2022, 3.6 million employees in Canada worked part time, which is close to 20% of the total workforce.
Over 75% of Canada’s part time workers are women. When surveyed, the most common reason women gave for working part time was child-care, while only about 3% of men who work part time cited the same reason.
The Covid-19 pandemic catalyzed a shift towards remote working in Canada. Pre-pandemic, only 4% worked remotely, but by 2021, remote workers constituted 30% of the workforce, highlighting a dramatic change in work culture.
The number of remote employees varies by industry. For example, 85.3% of Canada’s finance and insurance sectors report being able to do their job remotely, while industries such as hospitality, construction, and agriculture report much lower numbers of remote workers.
AI customer service platform that automates support for brands including Meta, Verizon, Yeti, and Square — resolving 70% of inquiries without human agents.
Alida is a Total Experience Management platform company helping global brands turn customer insights into action, with 450+ team members across 11 countries.
Montreal-based geographic intelligence studio developing high-performance geospatial solutions for environmental and social impact across Europe and North America.
A dynamic digital marketing agency specializing in aviation brands, offering a 4-day workweek and hybrid flexibility in Collingwood, Ontario.
Award-winning creative agency pioneering bold marketing solutions with a 4-day work week and fully remote team across Canada.
Leading video game studio behind Dead by Daylight, championing 4-day work weeks and creative freedom across 5 global studios with 1,300+ employees.
Award-winning digital marketing agency with a 4.5-day workweek, serving global brands with data-driven strategies across PPC, social media, and performance marketing.
Award-winning Vancouver indie game studio behind Crypt of the NecroDancer, creating innovative games with a 4-day work week and remote-friendly culture.
An inclusive design agency connecting brands to their audiences through creative strategy, with a fully remote team committed to work-life balance.
Multi-stakeholder cooperative developing overdose detection tools and community response technology to prevent fatal overdoses across North America.