Pioneering CEO reveals the truth about four-day work weeks

In my three and a half years of doing the four-day week and consuming media about it, I have not read a single piece that delves into the truly difficult aspects of running a four-day week.

The reality is that adopting this innovative way of working requires a significant shift in mindset, culture and operations.

It demands a level of transparency, accountability and adaptability that can be uncomfortable and challenging for both leaders and employees.

I have not read a single piece that delves into the truly difficult aspects of running a four-day week.

So let me share some of these challenges, because I have had countless conversations with leaders who have adopted the four-day week.

Here are the things that are really, really challenging:

• Having a conversation with a team member who is not hitting their goals but is taking the “gift”. (Luckily, Inventium has a strategy of employing adults who take responsibility for their goals; however, I have spoken to other business leaders who have had to have some very uncomfortable conversations.)
• When teams and individuals don’t have clear and objective targets, things get murky. It is near impossible for people to accurately make a call as to whether they have earned the gift of the fifth if goals are not clear. And when goals are unclear, most leaders report that their team members will take the gift.
• Managing a team member who has achieved all their individual goals, but arguably, could have a big impact on a team member’s goals if they worked the fifth day. Should they take the gift, or not? If you are trying to foster a culture of collaboration and teamwork, arguably, they possibly should not take the gift.
• What to do as a leader when people are treating the day as “entitlement of the fifth”, not “gift of the fifth”? I hear about leaders facing this challenge all the time. And the longer they have been running the four-day week, the tougher this challenge becomes.

These challenges highlight the importance of having robust performance management systems, clear communication channels and a culture of accountability and ownership.

They also underscore the need for leaders to be proactive, adaptable and willing to have tough conversations when necessary.

While I love the four-day week concept and I would implement the policy again in a heartbeat, it is not all smooth sailing, and it’s certainly not a panacea for improving the world of work.

Like any major organisational change, it requires ongoing effort, iteration and commitment from all levels of the business.

Every great policy has a shadow side. And the more we normalise the four-day week and all its complexities instead of glorifying it, the more realistic and prepared we can be to tackle its complexities head-on.

By sharing our experiences openly and honestly, we can help other
organisations navigate the challenges and reap the rewards of this transformative way of working.

So, am I missing having Fridays off? You bet I am. Do I hate that some of my team have to work Fridays right now? I sure do. But to be honest, a small part of me is adrenalised by the challenge of getting things back on track because when I am able to take the gift of the fifth again, I will appreciate it so much more.

Dr Amantha Imber is the CEO of workplace consultancy Inventium. She is also the host of the How I Work podcast.