Howdy folks, here at OYG we’ve adopted the 4-day work week and have been at it since August 2022! As a team, we all work Mon-Thurs, 9 am-5 pm. Since we’ve been at this for a while we wanted to host a conversation about the successes, failures and everything in between that has come from the 4-day work week.
Q:
How can you help make the case for this in other companies?
A:
The 4-day workweek could be a great tool for any issues your company is currently facing. If your company is talking about issues with recruiting, burnout, showing that they're innovative, or that they're dedicated to work-life balance, you could introduce the 4-day work week as a solution. If it's already being discussed but they're worried about productivity, there are leaders in the 4-day workweek study that can guide you with metrics and studies about the 4-day workweek's success in other companies globally.
For us, we have not had any dips in productivity, client relationships, or how we bill for our work. The 4-day workweek also speaks to issues of climate change, mental health in employees, and equality. We're using less energy by not being in the office, and being in less makes it easier for working moms to maintain a better work/life balance. Your company might be interested in helping to solve these social issues!
Q:
Is it making everyone feel more productive and well-rested?
A:
Yes! We're doing so well (thanks for asking). Having the Friday off really adds a lot to how good we feel, how excited we are to see each other on Mondays, and having a better work-life balance which has always been important to OYG.
Q:
Does everyone still receive the same pay?
A:
Yes, but with fewer hours :)
Q:
How have clients responded?
A:
Great! Once you get through the initial transition period, having a 4-day work week just becomes part of your company's policy when bringing on new clients!
Q:
What about emergencies on Fridays?
A:
If there is a client emergency on Friday? There are many ways to structure the 4 days but for us it's Fridays - we try our best to present/deliver on Thursdays and give our clients the weekend to mull it over. So far haven't had any crazy emergencies, but we're still available and prepared to deal with whatever comes out way! Lucky to have a small yet mighty team here at OYG 💪
Q:
Have there been any changes in productivity?
A:
We've been more productive if anything! We did a lot of prep work to maximize our days - breaking them up into focus blocks and meeting blocks. We sent out internal surveys to track our productivity for the first 6 months and found that our team was more productive overall!