One of the trendier workplace wellness discussion topics of late has been the four-day workweek concept, as more organizations, including several NGOs, have considered and experimented with what some research shows to be an effective response to wellness and productivity issues in the workplace.
Bolstering the case for shorter workweeks were the recent results of a four-day workweek pilot program involving 61 companies and nonprofit organizations in the United Kingdom. Analysis of the six-month trial, led by the nonprofit 4 Day Week Global, showed that reducing the workweek without cutting salaries, broadly improved productivity, work-life balance, turnover, and the overall well-being of staff.
Joe O’Connor, the former CEO of 4 Day Week Global and director at Work Time Reduction Center of Excellence, believes the four-day workweek presents an opportunity for nonprofit organizations to lead by example and potentially create a ripple effect within the sector. “If a major player reduces their workweek it's going to differentiate them to such a degree that others will have to follow,” O’Connor told Devex.
About the author
Katrina J. Lane
Katrina Lane is an Editorial Strategist and Reporter at Devex. She writes on ecologies and social inclusion, and also supports the creation of partnership content at Devex. She holds a degree in Psychology from Warwick University, offering a unique perspective on the cognitive frameworks and social factors that influence responses to global issues.
