Some Acadia University staff working 4 days a week after successful pilot program
'Ninety-seven per cent said it had a positive impact on their mental health,' says professor
Some Acadia University staff are working four days a week instead of five this summer after a pilot program showed positive results.
The university says about 90 per cent of full-time administrative employees participated in the pilot program last summer. They received the same pay for their work and did not have to work longer hours to make up for the day off.
A group of researchers then surveyed staff satisfaction. The group found that the participants reported higher job satisfaction and a surge in leisure activities, from community involvement to new hobbies.
"Ninety-seven per cent said it had a positive impact on their mental health and also their emotional well-being, and it also impacted their quality of life," said Rebecca Casey, a sociology professor at Acadia University and one of the researchers.
This four-day work week is only back for the summer when there are fewer students, said the university in a statement, because it will be "all hands on deck" during the fall and winter semesters.
The university said it allowed teams to choose their days off since each office has different workloads, deadlines and needs.
In addition to faculty, senior leadership was excluded from the model, meaning the president and vice-presidents continued to work five days a week.
Casey said a handful of people did have issues implementing the four-day work week, although the overwhelming majority found it positive.
The researchers say the implementation of a shorter work week can also lead to higher recruitment and retention, as more people would like to work fewer days for the same pay and use that extra time for leisure.
"Organizations are increasingly tasked with designing work structures prioritizing employee well-being while sustaining their daily operations and mandate," the report states.
Casey says the results of the pilot program will be shown at a presentation in the United Kingdom this summer to further discuss what shorter work weeks could look like in the field.
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