Curious About a 4-Day Workweek? Here’s How to Pitch One

On a Friday afternoon, an worker at Emtrain, a California human assets expertise firm, takes a nap.

Another worker takes horseback driving classes whereas others play the piano, follow images, or go to members of the family or associates they have not seen in a whereas.

You can do that as a result of Emtrain launched a four-day workweek pilot program in 2021, one in every of many corporations all over the world experimenting with a new approach of working.

Even the boss likes it. “It was very, very touching to see how much time people had back in their lives,” stated Odessa Jenkins, President of Emtrain. “We keep hearing stories of our employees learning something new, engaging with family that they didn’t have before, and it’s really changing the way they live their lives.”

Successful pilots of the four-day workweek each within the US and overseas have recognized a number of advantages for each corporations and staff, together with improved worker well-being, elevated productiveness, and a new approach to retain expertise in a aggressive office and to recruit market.

We requested three executives and a Fortune 500 government coach why four-day weeks are rising in popularity. Here’s what they are saying, the important thing advantages of this new approach of working — and the way to successfully persuade your boss of the concept.

Employees have extra time outdoors of labor

A four-day work week offers staff again one in every of their most useful assets: time.

After Emtrain switched to a four-day work week, Jenkins was impressed with the influence the change had on her workforce.

“When you give your employees more time to do what they want to do – to find out things about themselves, to explore – you get an employee base that is more committed to you, but also to their personal health,” stated Jenkins. “This brings us healthier and happier employees.”

Katie Klumper, CEO of Black Glass Consulting, a New York-based CMO consultancy, stated she noticed comparable outcomes at Black Glass throughout its four-day workweek pilot. Many of their staff use their free Friday as a “personal admin” day to deal with fundamental duties like laundry, purchasing or cleansing.

“It really gives them a two-day break [on the weekend]which allows them to have four days [at work] refreshed, present, focused and more productive,” said Klumper.

Having more face-to-face time can also promote positive employee mental health outcomes at a time when burnout is on the rise. “It’s incredibly helpful for people’s mental health and well-being to know they now have an extra day to just unwind [do life]’ said Daryl Appleton, a licensed psychotherapist and Fortune 500 executive coach.

Productivity is often improved

A four-day work week forces you to be more efficient in all aspects of your job, including communication, Jenkins said. “It means making a commitment to be very, very focused at work. And we saw that immediately in our employee base.”

According to an inside firm survey, 92% of Emtrain staff agreed they had been ready to obtain their key work milestones through the four-day workweek. Odessa has additionally not seen a rise in staff working longer hours. “It’s maybe more focused work, not more work,” Jenkins stated.

Klumper stated the transfer to a four-day work week has made her workforce extra acutely aware of how they handle their restricted time at work.

“Time is one of the most valuable commodities we have as professionals and valuing that and being really aware of where you’re applying was definitely an asset,” she stated. “It wasn’t built for longer workdays. It was supposed to be the same hours we worked but in four days.”

The different piece is focus, Klumper stated. Working to a tighter schedule has helped her staff hone their craft and expertise to get their jobs accomplished sooner. “There were a lot of positive results in terms of teams being able to collaborate faster and be much more focused and focused on getting work done,” she stated.

It helps entice and retain expertise in a aggressive job market

In a 2022 survey performed by Forbes Health-Ipsos Monthly Health Tracker, 90% of employed respondents stated it was vital for his or her job to supply a work-life steadiness. And 82% stated it is vital that their job affords flexibility in working hours.

“I think if the Great Resignation has taught us anything, it’s that when people have the opportunity to kick back, they want to join companies that they feel will support the lifestyle they want to live,” stated HireVue CEO Anthony Reynolds of Utah -based expertise expertise platform. (Instead of a four-day work week, HireVue offers its staff each different Friday afternoon off.)

Enabling extra flexibility within the office can even assist corporations retain current staff and assist staff attain their most potential.

“It was a huge talent driver,” stated Klumper. “People are accountable. If you could have the fitting individuals on the workforce, you might do one thing daily [paid time off] and they’d nonetheless be a part of as a result of they’re passionate concerning the enterprise. … If you could have the fitting expertise, they may get the job accomplished, and they’re going to do an excellent higher job if they’ll do it on their phrases.

Both the workers and the corporate profit from this

“It’s difficult to say [the four-day workweek pilot] not beneficial from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective because we are also exceeding our business goals,” Jenkins stated.

According to an inside survey, 82% of Emtrain staff stated the four-day work week made them really feel more healthy and extra comfy, whereas 71% to 75% of staff reported experiencing much less unproductive stress at work.

Emtrain just isn’t alone. According to a survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, 60% of corporations surveyed that had carried out a four-day week discovered that fewer conferences elevated worker satisfaction and productiveness.

The non-profit group 4 Day Week Global, which is working a pilot program serving to over 70 UK corporations take a look at a four-day work week, additionally reported comparable findings in its newest survey of taking part organisations. According to the survey, 88% of respondents stated the four-day workweek was working “well” for his or her group three months into the six-month trial interval. In addition, 95% of respondents indicated that productiveness had remained the identical or improved, and 86% indicated that they’d “probably” take into account sustaining the four-day work week coverage after the tip of the examine.

How to counsel a four-day week to your boss

Unless you are a senior government at your organization, attempting a four-day work week will doubtless require getting your government on board. Here are some professional suggestions for the best methods to current the concept.

1. Compile the information

Before you intend an thought to your group’s management, do your analysis, Appleton stated. Gather the information and assets, and most significantly, be ready to clarify why your thought is vital.

“That’s the thing about leadership — they don’t want more work,” Appleton stated. “Come prepared with whatever you have on the table because this might be the only chance you get.”

2. Consider how a four-day workweek matches into your organization’s current values

Most “new” concepts are merely an iteration of one thing we have seen earlier than, Jenkins stated. Look at your organization’s current core values ​​and see in the event that they match naturally with a extra versatile schedule or four-day work week.

For instance, Emtrain already had a limiteless PTO coverage prior to its four-day workweek pilot, which meant the corporate was already used to not having staff within the workplace on a strict schedule. The transfer to a four-day workweek was simply one other step in the identical path for a firm that has made flexibility one in every of its core values.

“[Ask yourself] What are the things that you already have in your organization that could lead to and reinforce more flexible work,” Jenkins stated.

3. Focus on enterprise objectives and targets

At the tip of the day, you want to present your boss how the corporate advantages from a four-day work week. Gather success tales from different corporations comparable to those you’re employed at and be ready to display how your proposal will improve or maintain income whereas probably lowering prices and rising productiveness.

“Come up with a proposal that focuses on establishing success and then moving forward from that success,” Jenkins stated. “It all the time appears to be like very consumable [a leadership team’s perspective]. When you carry me one thing as a chief that seems like much less threat, extra reward, and confirmed, it turns into very laborious for me to say no.”

4. Propose a pilot program

If your leadership is hesitant to implement such a big change, starting with a temporary pilot is a good way to break into a four-day work week.

“Start gradual,” advises Jenkins. “Don’t attempt to take your online business sooner or additional than it might be prepared.

Emtrain and Black Glass each piloted their four-day workweek packages, and HireVue did the identical with its bi-weekly half-day Friday schedule.

If you are trying to get began, nonprofit group 4 Day Week Global is coordinating six-month pilot packages that present coaching, mentoring, and analysis for organizations occupied with attempting a four-day workweek.