Could a 4-day work week work in Canada? First-ever pilot program reports 100% success rate

[CdnFox]

https://www.thestar.com/business/could-a-4-day-work-week-work-in-canada-first-ever-pilot-program-reports-100/article_e074378a-6c1f-533d-b946-b0457a783d39.html

Despite reduced working hours, organizations with the program reported an average revenue increase of 15 per cent over the trial period.

 

It's interesting.  I honestly don't believe that most businesses would be able to reduce the hours entirely, but even still many have played with four day work weeks where they tag an extra hour or so on to the day (nine  hour work day in stead of 8 basically) and had good results. There's a lot of efficiency in just staying a little longer and getting stuff done while you're already set up and there and then taking an extra day of rest.

Working from home, changes to working hours etc etc. - it's important that we look at how we do things and where we can improve our productivity.

[ironstone]

But where do those who do not work in an office environment fit in?

[CdnFox]

3 hours ago, ironstone said:

But where do those who do not work in an office environment fit in?

I'm not sure this kind of thing would only apply to office workers.  I would guess that a tradesperson might be similarly better off working 10 hours a day for 4 days - that's one drive to and from home they don't have to make, one extra day to sleep in or get chores done or spend time doing something fun or relaxing.  And for the employer you could probably get away with one or two extra short breaks rather than a full lunch hour or the like.

But at the end of the day obviously there's no one solution that fits everything, it'll have to be a combination of things.

[myata]

In PS will do wonders... for the PS.

[CdnFox]

1 hour ago, myata said:

In PS will do wonders... for the PS.

Nobody knows what you're talking about.   What do you mean by "PS'?

[myata]

1 minute ago, CdnFox said:

What do you mean by "PS'?

Public service in Canada. Renewing passport took weeks if not months? the last I heard. Can't wait to find out what miracles a 3-day work week will do (with the same salaries and benefits, even better).

[CdnFox]

35 minutes ago, myata said:

Public service in Canada. Renewing passport took weeks if not months? the last I heard. Can't wait to find out what miracles a 3-day work week will do (with the same salaries and benefits, even better).

I'm pretty sure with their perks, breaks, extensive bankable sick time etc they already only really work 3 days a week.

[myata]

There was a report that found that what was the number, 50%? 70% of the bureaucracy does essentially nothing for the useful output. So by naive logic if you do nothing 3 days a week rather than, that's less of nothing so has to be net positive... right?

[impartialobserver]

I would fully support such a measure. 4 day work week would entail far less than personal/sick leave requests. At my office, we tried this and thought that no one would push the limits but not so. The four ten-hour day folks were still requesting time off on monday. They were all tues to friday. 

[herbie]

Worked those for many years. At the insistence of management blockheads that insist 40 hour weeks be maintained.

Also worked 7.5 and 7 hour days for decades.

$100 says four 9 hour days would show zero drop in productivity,