4 day work week, are there any companies doing that

Yes, the four-day workweek has moved beyond a mere concept to a widely adopted and trialed practice, with hundreds of companies globally implementing it either permanently or through ongoing pilot programs. This shift is significantly driven by a model known as 100-80-100, where employees receive 100% of their pay for 80% of the time, provided they maintain 100% productivity.

Notable Companies Embracing a 4-Day Workweek

Many prominent companies across various industries have successfully transitioned to or trialed a four-day workweek:

• ·Buffer (Social Media Management): Made a 32-hour, 4-day workweek permanent in May 2020 after reporting increased employee satisfaction and sustained productivity.
• ·Kickstarter (Crowdfunding Platform): After a successful participation in a major US/Canada pilot, they permanently adopted a 32-hour workweek for all staff.
• ·Bolt (E-commerce Checkout Platform): Became one of the first tech "unicorns" to implement a permanent 4-day workweek following a successful trial in 2021.
• ·Panasonic (Electronics): Introduced an optional four-day workweek in 2022 to enhance work-life balance, allowing employees an extra day for personal pursuits.
• ·Basecamp (Software/Project Management): Famously operates on a 4-day workweek (32 hours) during the summer months (May through October) annually.
• ·Microsoft Japan: Reported a 40% productivity boost during its 2019 trial.
• ·Unilever: Piloted a 4-day week in New Zealand and Australia.
• ·Samsung: Some divisions have implemented biweekly 4-day weeks.
• ·ThredUP (Online Consignment): Transitioned its corporate office to a four-day workweek in 2021 to combat burnout.
• ·Chick-fil-A (Select Locations): Certain franchises offer compressed 3-day or 4-day workweeks, significantly boosting retention and applications.
• ·Qualtrics: Implemented "Experience Fridays".

Understanding the Types of 4-Day Workweeks

It's crucial to differentiate between two primary models:

1. ·The 32-Hour Workweek (The Ideal Model): This involves employees working 32 hours over 4 days, but receiving full 40-hour pay. The focus is on maintaining productivity through efficiency gains like fewer meetings and streamlined processes (e.g., Buffer, Kickstarter).
2. ·The Compressed Workweek (4x10): Employees still complete 40 hours of work, but condense it into four 10-hour days. This is less about reduced hours and more about condensed scheduling.

Another approach mentioned is Rotating Fridays off, where teams alternate their days off.

Global Trends & Successful Pilot Programs

The momentum behind the four-day workweek is largely fueled by extensive global trials and government initiatives:

• ·4 Day Week Global: This advocacy group has organized numerous successful global trials. Their studies, such as the UK Pilot in 2022 (61 companies, 2,900 workers), showed that 92% of participating companies chose to continue, citing reduced sick days (65%) and stable or increased revenue.
• ·Iceland: A large-scale public sector trial between 2015 and 2019 was deemed a success, resulting in approximately 86% of Iceland's working population either working fewer hours or having the right to negotiate them.
• ·Government Initiatives: Countries such as Spain, Scotland, and Ireland have launched government-backed pilot programs to encourage adoption.

Resources for Finding 4-Day Workweek Jobs

For those interested, several dedicated platforms track job openings at companies offering a 4-day workweek:

• ·4dayweek.io: Specializes in software, tech, and creative jobs with a 32-hour workweek.
• ·Flexa.careers: Allows filtering companies by various flexible working options, including 4-day weeks.
• ·OkProductive: A directory of companies verified to have 4-day workweek policies.