{"id":6256,"date":"2024-03-06T15:31:50","date_gmt":"2024-03-06T15:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artsmidwest.org\/?post_type=resource&p=6256"},"modified":"2026-02-16T20:42:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T20:42:56","slug":"how-to-implement-a-four-day-work-week-at-your-organization","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/artsmidwest.org\/resources\/guides-tools\/how-to-implement-a-four-day-work-week-at-your-organization\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Implement a Four-Day Work Week at Your Organization"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As workplaces evolve, organizations that wish to attract and retain creative and engaged employees must find new ways to stay competitive in the marketplace.  One such way, the four-day work week, has gained considerable attention in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The four-day work week is supported by substantial research indicating improved employee well-being, increased productivity, and reduced burnout. Studies have shown that companies with four day work week experience higher employee satisfaction, retention rates, and creative output. A Microsoft Japan experiment revealed a 40% boost in productivity<\/a> when the company implemented a four-day work week, and a report by Henley Business School<\/a> found that employees’ stress levels decreased by 25% when transitioning to a shorter workweek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But just how do you implement a four-day work week? And what questions do you need to consider before giving it a try?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arts Midwest made a shift to a four day work week in 2022. In this article, we seek to provide a detailed roadmap for organizations considering this transformative change.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What We Learned: Four-Day Work Week<\/h2>\n \n

Want a more in-depth understanding of Arts Midwest\u2019s journey to the four-day work week? Check out this article about our process and what we learned. <\/p>\n \n

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What is a Four-Day Work Week?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A four-day work week is a scheduling arrangement that challenges the traditional norm of a five-day, forty-hour work week by reducing the standard schedule an employee works without reducing their pay. Various models of the four-day work week exist and can offer flexibility to accommodate different organizational needs and employee preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    \n Standard Four Day, 32 Hour Week\n <\/h3>\n
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    The most common model of a four-day work week is a scheduling arrangement where full-time, salaried employees work for four days each week, resulting in a 32-hour workweek.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n

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    \n Summer Fridays Off\n <\/h3>\n
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    Some organizations use a four-day work week seasonally, giving employees \u201cSummer Fridays\u201d off. <\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n

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    \n “Fortnight” Model\n <\/h3>\n
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    Another approach is the “fortnight” model, where employees take an additional paid day off every two weeks. This structure maintains a consistent workweek while offering regular breaks to recharge.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n

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    \n 4\/10 Schedule \n <\/h3>\n
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    In a \u201c4\/10\u201d schedule, employees work four, 10-hour days a week. This condensed work week allows for an extra day off, providing an extended weekend and potentially reducing commuting time and costs but it does not reduce the total hours worked. This model is not as effective at reducing burnout.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n <\/ol>\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    How Did We Get Here?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    While the four-day work week feels like a radical shift to some of us, the five day work week is less than a hundred years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Before 1900, a six-day work week was standard practice. However, a transformative shift occurred in the early 1900s when labor unions and activists began advocating for five-day work weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In 1940, an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act standardized the five-day forty-hour work week in the United States. At the time, economists predicted that the four-day work week would become the norm within a couple of generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Moving into the 21st century, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a profound reassessment of traditional office culture, emphasizing the need for more flexible work arrangements and heightened awareness of employee burnout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In 2022, 4 Day Week Global launched a study examining trials of the four-day work week in 41 U.S. companies. The study found that the four-day work week was effective at reducing stress and the majority of employers in the study decided to continue the four-day work week permanently.<\/p>\n\n\n

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    \n Woolworth strikers advocate for a 40 hour work week in 1937\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n \n \n <\/figure>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Get Started at Your Organization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Implementing a four-day work week can be transformative, offering important benefits to individuals and organizational culture. However, it is a major change that requires thoughtful planning, input from all staff, and good communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We recommend following these steps to support a smooth transition to your Four Day Work Week:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Ask Key Questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Moving to a four-day work week is a major change. Before you get started, discuss your organization\u2019s reasons for exploring the four-day work week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Key questions to ask as you get started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n