We tried the 4 Day Work Weeks for 2 Years. Here are 5 unexpected Results

My law firm started its 4-day workweek project in March of 2021. It has been exactly 2 years since we implemented this innovative policy and what’s been most fascinating to me are the new and unexpected benefits and challenges that have arisen well into the program. I am talking at least one year in.

When I started the compressed workweek project and later reported on it 3 months later, the issues that we face now were non-existent. Most of the current news coming out on this concept captures data based on a 6 month or shorter timeframe. I would like to shed some light on what to expect as companies continue on with 4-day work weeks beyond the first few months.

What Happened to Our Revenues and Profits over the Past 2 Years?

I will preface this by saying that I do not believe 4-day work weeks alone contributed to our results below but they certainly have something to do with it. My firm has always done well with expansion and revenues due to many, many different factors, and one factor in itself is not a deciding factor. But I also can’t help but acknowledge that 4-day work weeks had something to do with the following stats:

I believe that our 4-day workweek policies contributed to our growth because:

1. We have way, way less turnover;
2. Much higher loyalty;
3. Employee engagement;
4. More focused and more productive employees;
5. Happier and healthier employees;
6. Our employees trust us and give back because we have decided to be nicer to them;
7. Our sick day requests have been reduced by over 80%;
8. Employees schedule all their other appointments and life events on the day off instead of during the workdays
9. This just feels right

The ‘lazy’ Job Applicants and How We Dealt with Them

This unfortunate challenge arose well into the project and not at the beginning of it as we started the project with current employees. I suspect many of the recent reports on 4-day work weeks do not see or deal with this phenomenon but as we go deeper into it, I think it is inevitable that all companies will experience it. Yes, we started getting applications from lazy employees who look at work strictly from the perspective of making as much money by doing as little as possible – a huge no-no.

I will be first to say that my firm is busy. Anyone working for us never has a dull moment and to be frank, sometimes we exhaust our staff because we are a law firm, not a spa. We also have an ever-changing and dynamic work environment – like a start-up. So whoever comes to YLaw needs to be prepared for full-on days and not a minute to spare.

I definitely did not want to send a message to attract lazy people!

Combating Lazy Applicants

Everyone who is hired by YLaw will have to work 5 days a week physically from the office during their probationary period which is usually 3 months. Once they pass the probationary period, they can work hybrid and 4 days a week.

Within the first 3 months, any employer will have a very good idea regarding the work ethic, attitude, and potential of new hires so if the new hire commits to the above policy and proves that they are here to work hard and also enjoy the privilege of working 4 day weeks, then they have a place at YLaw. If not, ‘see you later’.

We also worked very hard on making sure our branding and the message we give out during our hiring process, from our advertisement for a job to the interviews, is consistent and relays exactly what the intent of 4-day work weeks are, and who will benefit from being at YLaw.

What is key, again, is to communicate that 4-day workweeks are a privilege not a right and employees need to earn this benefit, not take it for granted. 

Has Our Employees’ Opinion of 4-Day Workweeks Changed Over the Last 2 Years?

Yesterday I interviewed the majority of our employees, including partners, associates, and staff about 4-day work weeks. I was once again stunned at their feedback. I had faced and heard about the challenges they faced working 4 day work weeks including the challenges of meeting their targets, not always being able to take Wednesdays (our ‘off’ day) off, or being scheduled in court hearing on the day off.

But once I sat with each of them one-on-one, the following was what they said:

I could not imagine my life working 5 days a week

My mental health has improved by at least 50% since I started working 4 day work weeks

It is not about having to work on the day off if we need to, its about being given the flexibility to do what I want or can do on the day off

I love the day off because it gives me the control and power to decide how to spend my day and I am not on someone else’s watch

I would never leave this firm because I would never want to work a 5 day a week job

If you compare the above answers to the answers I got 3 months into the project, the results are consistent and have not changed: our people love 4-day work weeks and they do not want to go back.

The Challenge of Emergencies on the Day Off

The biggest misconception about 4-day work weeks is people think they can actually work only 4 days a week, 100% of the time.

This assumption is false for the majority of the companies that try this concept. As with any service industry, we constantly deal with clients, are contracted out, deal with human emergencies, and many deadlines and events which are out of our control.

In the legal industry, examples of the above are urgent court hearings, children being abducted, family emergencies, etc.

When these emergencies come up, we are mandated to deal with them as per our Law Society Rules. Yes, that means dropping everything to deal with them, including having to work on our day off – even on the weekends.

Could Lawyers Work 4-Day Work Weeks?

In my interviews with our lawyers, they said they have had to work at least 1 hour or more on over 50% of Wednesdays.

How About the Staff?

When it came to staff, they said they had to work approximately 20% of the Wednesdays and had to be accessible in case an emergency came up.

What Exactly About 4-Day Work Weeks did the Employees Enjoy?

What all employees said univocally was that it was less about not working on Wednesdays and more about being able to choose what they do with their hours and time on Wednesdays. Having the flexibility of taking the day off, going for a brunch or an exercise. Grabbing a coffee and yes, maybe working an hour or 2 from home to tie up the loose ends. These were the benefits they saw in 4-day work weeks; it was never about strictly taking every Wednesday off.

Meeting Billable Targets and Project Deadlines

When it came to meeting targets, all acknowledged that they had to be much more focused and productive on their workdays to achieve them, and were completely fine with that in exchange for keeping the 4-day workweek policies.

At the end of the day, the vote was that if someone was lazy or couldn’t meet targets, working 4 days versus 5 days a week did not make a difference. It came down to attitude and commitment to get the job done, not the number of hours or days one had to work.

I frankly agree with them. Employees are either responsible, engaged, and committed, or not. Working 4 or 5 days a week does not change their character nor does it change their work ethics.

Unexpected Benefits of the Day Off

One unexpected benefit of compressed work weeks was some employees pursuing courses, higher education, or degrees and using the day off to study and advance in their careers. This was such a welcome and pleasant surprise for me as an employer. It also makes me feel good that employees no longer feel like they have to engage in the grind and can actually use some of their time doing what they love to do, or improve who they are and their career.

Final Thoughts on Four-Day Work Weeks

• They are a challenge to implement. We developed and refined many policies and have finally found our sweet spot;
• They take a lot of planning and thought;
• Most employees do not take advantage of them and will get the job/tasks done regardless;
• Profits and revenues will grow – believe it or not;
• You can attract the wrong crowd by advertising 4-day work weeks and need to get your message right and clear;
• They work for almost every industry and every job type;
• They are a privilege, not a right;
• Sometimes you’d have to work 5, 6, or 7 days a week and that is OK; that’s just life;
• They make you a lot happier, a lot less stressed, and a lot more balanced;
  • They make more sense than 5-day work weeks;
• They keep employees engaged and happy;
• Turnover will be reduced, loyalty will increase;
• Employees will trust you more;
• Employers will have to be more vigilant about holding employees accountable to reach their targets;
• They work.

You should do it.

Written by Leena Yousefi – February 2023.