How To Get a 4-Day Workweek

What if I told you that you could work less, do more, be happier and have more sustainable profit?

Not bad, eh?

With the recent news of the four-day workweek being a resounding success in early trials, a lot has been shared about the benefits.

But how does a business get there?

One way is boldly – making a commitment and working out the logistics.  

Another way is incrementally – having a goal in mind and taking some baby steps in the right direction.

I won’t broadly advocate for one over the other as there are many contextual factors, pros and cons to consider, but one thing I consistently see across clients and my previous leadership roles is misalignment in organizational design (i.e. roles and responsibilities).

Because a business is an organism that shifts and changes – especially through periods of high growth, contraction, and shifts in strategic direction – what often goes unaddressed is whether the right people are spending time on the right things using the right tools.

In every role design review I have undertaken, I found:

• Some level of ‘waste’ – where there is work that the individual doesn’t see value in nor does the business…so why are we doing it?

• Varying degrees of misalignment – where the task or responsibility does not align with the individual’s skills, capabilities, or role purpose…resulting in it taking more time, effort and often less than optimal outcomes.  

• Additional opportunities for collaboration – surprisingly silos can exist in even small and medium enterprises….meaning missed opportunities.

• Presence of manual process – even where there is a focus on automation and technology, there are lurking and hidden processes that can be made more efficient…counterproductive, isn’t it?

• Hidden talents – employees who have passions and capabilities that have the potential to add to the organization but either have not linearly fit into their original job description, have not been encouraged to share their passions, or do not feel safe doing so…this one is both most heartbreaking and exciting for me.

 So where to begin?

1.     Engage your experts: consider if you have the internal competencies to assess or reassess role design and recommend efficiencies. If not, partner with the right external consultant. Often a neutral, external and experienced eye can surface what those too close to the company don’t see and can add a valuable and fresh perspective.

2.     Engage your people: discuss what is working well, what could be even better, what is the best part of their day, what is the worst part of their day. Well-crafted questions are critical to getting to the heart of the matter as is listening to both what is said and unsaid.

3.    Engage your creativity: there is certainly a high degree of logic present when crafting roles and responsibilities, but don’t underestimate the value of creativity and some non-traditional angles. Especially for small and medium enterprises, where budgets may not allow full investment across departments, consider opportunities for technology, fractional hires, outsourcing, or having some current employees with unique talents play unique roles.

With appropriate and relevant role design, you can find time without sacrificing productivity or profits. In fact, often as people are more engaged and aligned, productivity and profitability can improve, which can be a meaningful step towards implementing the four-day workweek.

So there you have it: some steps towards working less, doing more, being happier and enjoying more sustainable profits.

For assistance with role design, or review and redesign, contact us.