Here at WMA, we pride ourselves on providing quality personalised service for our clients and creating a vibrant workspace for our team. In our search for ways to improve output and reduce burnout in the office, the 4-Day Week has come into focus.
From increased productivity to reduced stress and fatigue, the benefits of the 4-day week are compelling. A growing number of businesses around the globe have already made the switch, and we’re joining them.
The WMA team is trialling the 4-day workweek – with appointments available Monday through to Thursday.
We will be measuring our value with output, not hours. Additionally, with three days for rest, our team will be fresh and full of energy throughout the week.
Let’s take a closer look at how the benefits add up.
Greater focus
With an extra day for rest and recreation, we expect to see an increase in focus. Our team will be fresh and fully engaged throughout the days we do spend in the office. A 4-Day Workweek case study in New Zealand found engagement levels rose between 30 and 40%!Increased productivity
In an office environment, an increase in hours doesn’t equate to doing more. While staff may appear to be busier, are they being more effective? Probably not. The more likely result is burnout. As outlined in this article, time isn’t an accurate measure of output. Working fewer days can actually increase work capacity because energy levels remain higher. According to 4 Day Week Global Microsoft Japan’s 2019 4-day week trial led to a 39% increase in productivity.
Reduced carbon footprint
Our 4-day workweek will also benefit the climate. Fewer days in the office means less time commuting and a reduction in office energy consumption. We are also committed to reducing our carbon footprint overall to further extend our impact. For example, we recently had solar panels installed and have committed to be a paper-free office whenever possible.Making regional living easier
Working in Birchip means completing life admin and making it to appointments can’t always be achieved in a lunchbreak. With an extra day over the weekend, our team will have a better work/life balance, being able to fit in the extra tasks they need to do and have a restful weekend.A happier & healthier team
A longer weekend means our team can better look after their health and wellbeing. Businesses trialling the 4-day workweek are reporting “lower levels of stress, fatigue, insomnia and burnout, and improvements in physical and mental health.” One 4-day week pilot saw “absenteeism and stress drop by 34 and 33% respectively, while feelings of "strength and vigour" at work increased by 15%”.
WMA has commenced a 10-month trial of the 4-day workweek – we’ll report back later in the year to share the results. In the meantime, please contact us to learn more or to book an appointment with our team.
Sources and further reading:
https://www.4dayweek.com
https://hbr.org/2007/10/manage-your-energy-not-your-time
https://time.com/6248369/4-day-work-week-2023/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2022/09/22/could-the-four-day-workweek-become-the-new-global-standard/?sh=4b1783cf5639
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2022/08/08/4-day-workweek-environment/