Since starting the 4 day working week, do you feel your employee’s efficiency has increased? If so, how would you describe the change?
Yes. We worked hard with our team to make them more efficient, this meant cutting down time as much as possible without cutting out vital communication time with colleagues and clients and monitoring time more closely. So, lots of shorter meetings, with stricter agendas and only being on meetings you need to be! The change has been challenging but surprisingly good in freeing up time for the client work and team training needs.
What do you feel are the benefits of a 4 day working week?
Increased productivity, improved work-life balance, improved employee wellbeing and happiness. Lots of the team are getting to spend more time with examples like looking after their kids, volunteering, shopping for their weddings and getting caught up on life admin!
Do you feel more connected with your employees since the change?
Yes.
Do any of your employees not like the 4 day working week?
None that we know, haven’t had any complaints about some more free time!
What would you say to those companies considering a 4 day working week pattern?
With the right preparation and a company structure that allows for service delivery on a 4DW basis then it’s definitely worth considering.
What sort of feedback have you had from your employees about the 4 day working week?
With some adjustments in how they spend their time, we have quickly felt the benefit of focusing on making the best use of time.
Do you think 4 day working weeks will be the norm in the future?
That’s the plan. The business has set very clear metrics to measure success around productivity, profitability and client and team retention so lots of ways of telling us if is potentially here to stay.
As well as speaking with Loud Mouth Media, we also caught up with our very own Brian Fraser, Head of Digital and Ecommerce, to find out what it's like to recruit for a company providing a 4 Day Working Week.
What do you think about 4 day working weeks?
I love it! I’m a big advocate for flexible and forward-thinking working approaches and love to help people find roles that offer them a better balance.
Do you think it is easier to find candidates when a company is offering a 4-day working week?
Absolutely. Words cannot describe how difficult it is to find talent in this current market, especially in paid media – that’s why recruitment agencies like us exist, because we can! These types of specialists are getting approached by recruiters’ multiples time a week, if not daily. If businesses want to retain and attract talent, they need to think outside the box.
Do you think people are applying more because of the working pattern rather than the responsibilities?
We are 100% getting better response rates in our outreach tactics when we have 4 days week roles on offer. I think there are a lot of factors, but we need to remember people aren’t looking for just a job and salary nowadays.
Employers need to realise that they’re not just interviewing candidates, but likewise, the candidate is interviewing them to see what their culture, progression, staff retention and so much more looks like.
I think a business embarking on the 4-day working week makes a statement and it says a lot about their culture, and how they empower and trust their team.
Do you think 4 day working weeks will be the norm in the future?
In an ideal world I’d love to say yes, but it’s not that simple. I think it will become more common, but not in every industry.
It 100% can be successful in professions where output is measured by results rather than working hours. Businesses embarking on the 6-month pilot are already seeing higher productivity rates over 4 days compared to 5 days. Apparently, the average employee on a 5-day week is in their prime productive state for a mere 2hr 23min, but that rises drastically on a 4-day week when employees can create a better work life balance.
However, I unfortunately can’t see it being applied to industries where profit margins are low and staff are needed for essential operations such as hospitality, retail etc as man hours are crucial to the running of these businesses. I also can’t imagine businesses ran by dinosaurs would adopt it either, these are the types still not offering any flexibility.
All in all, I’m excited to see how companies across the industry react at the end of this pilot when they see the success of others. Roll on progressive ways of working I say!
If you are looking for a new role that offers flexibility, please register here, follow us on LinkedIn or get in touch with a member of our team.