4 Day Work Week

[You Need a Thneed]

I’m all for extending weekends, whether it be 4/3, every other Friday off, half day fridays etc.

One job I had was all summer Friday afternoons off, PLUS the full Friday off before long weekends, making all the summer long weekends 4 days.

I’d probably rather work 5 days rather then extending each day longer than 9 hours inc lunch break.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

If you work at a plant I get you can’t cut down to 4 days, but at head offices why can’t you look at outcome based work for many roles?

If you have a project and finish your work earlier why not go home? What advantage is there to you sitting there to meet an hourly quota? Instead go home early, and if you have to work sometimes on a Saturday do it. As long as outcome is met.

My team has been doing this for years. We’re highly productive. I answer emails at 9PM sure, but some Fridays I leave early. Heck I encourage my people to take a break and play video games during the day to keep them sharp. They have phones with Teams I can call them if I or anyone need them. Key here is we trust each other to deliver.

This whole factory system of hourly work for knowledge based roles is antiquated and frankly unproductive.

Our enterprise will never officially sanction 4 days, but its already happening. As lead, I am not watching anyone, your results speak for themselves. It also amazing how uncommon that is.

This unfortunately doesn’t really work for any business that bills hourly, such as engineering consultants and lawyers.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by OldDutch

This whole factory system of hourly work for knowledge based roles is antiquated and frankly unproductive.

Agreed.

[OldDutch]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

This unfortunately doesn’t really work for any business that bills hourly, such as engineering consultants and lawyers.

I think it does actually. When does it matter what hour the work is done in? Or is the point to bill maximum hours?

Probably the later but that speaks to the productivity point I made.

I honestly think many jobs could be done this way. No all, but quite a few.

[Samonadreau]

My job entails having projects to work on throughout the week as well as taking calls for urgent work and troubleshooting (can get 5-15 of these calls a day, day or night). the calls dont just come in from 8-5 monday to Thursday. I know of lots of jobs like this. But I also get paid hourly so am ok with it.

I think if you are salary though, that where most people would want the least hours possible to work.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Igottago

Heck I probably do 9 hours most days already anyways..

Many professionals work extra hours. Going to 4x9 or 4x10 would acknowledge those extra ‘unpaid’ hours.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Many professionals work extra hours. Going to 4x9 or 4x10 would acknowledge those extra ‘unpaid’ hours.

When I was in the private sector, working at least 10 hours a day just to get 8 billable hours was the norm. Granted, being 100% billable wasn't the target to keep your job, being as close at possible was pretty much expected and you'd still get judged for how much under it you were.

[GGG]

I would gladly work 4-8s for 80% of pay provided everyone else on the company did as well.

If your the only one working will just pile up.

[troutman]

In semi-retirement I’m working about 30 hours per week. Sometimes double shifts, so I have more full days off. I never start before 9:30 am and can stay up late. It’s awesome.

[Jiri Hrdina]

That’s an out of the blue thread bump

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

That’s an out of the blue thread bump

I have no idea why I saw this thread but not the date

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by GGG

I would gladly work 4-8s for 80% of pay provided everyone else on the company did as well.

If your the only one working will just pile up.

During the 2009 crash the company I worked for went down to 80% in order to cut costs. It lasted a bit more than half a year but I decided to stay on an 80% schedule for a year longer because it was really awesome. After that I needed a bit more cash so we agreed to 90% and I did that for three years. But the the 2015 oil crash happened and I changed jobs and have been back to a regular work schedule. I can't wait to semi retire at some point and go back to a reduced schedule.

[TheIronMaiden]

I used to work 4 x 10s it was awesome, but my productivity did suffer towards the end of the day.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

That’s an out of the blue thread bump

Interestingly enough, I'm sure I saw something within the last couple of weeks about some place announcing they were officially going to try the 4 day work week.

[blender]

The main project I am running right now needs 60 hours a week, but we are achieving it by running multiple crews of 4 x10. Production stays high, and it easier to get people working the weekend days if they are getting 3 days off per week.

Best of both worlds?

[Finger Cookin]

2 years ago: "4 day work week gaining momentum"

Today: "Come back to the office 5 days a week or we're firing your ass"

I worked a compressed work schedule at one DT job years ago, it amounted to working just under 10 hours a day and getting 2 Fridays off per month. So 24 extra "work days" off during the year, in addition to your regular vacation allotment.

I would love a regular 4 hour week with 10 hour days. Even better if it alternated Fridays and Mondays off, so that every other weekend was a 4 day weekend.

[para transit fellow]

When I drove for wheelchair accessible paratransit in Calgary back in the 90's, I did years of 4X10. However, stretching an 8 hr day of city driving into a 10 hr of city driving takes a toll on you brain. I can remember one of my days off --spending 10 minutes trying to decide which shoe to put on first

[WideReceiver]

I’m on a zero-day work week.

[CroFlames]

Yeah sign me up for 4 day week.

Doubt that happens though, too many boomers still in c-suite and executive roles in companies in Canada and the USA. I needn't remind you the president himself is almost 80.

[Scroopy Noopers]

Originally Posted by GGG

I would gladly work 4-8s for 80% of pay provided everyone else on the company did as well.

If your the only one working will just pile up.

This is my arrangement and I’m grateful for it… but I 100% feel behind a lot of the time as it isn’t everyone else’s.