How 4-Day Work Weeks Help You Retain Talent

4-day work weeks are popular with employees, but how can this shift help you retain your top people? Here are several reasons why.

“I quit.”

Those two words terrify employers.

In the wake of The Great Resignation, countless companies are scrambling to fill vital positions. Everyone is asking the same question. How can I prevent my top people from walking out the door?

Higher pay, better benefits, and more incentives are common solutions.

But what if the best answer is simply seeing your employees less often?

4-Day Work Weeks By The Numbers

Happy employees tend not to think the grass is greener somewhere else.

That’s one of the reasons Reusser adopted a 4-day work week back in 2013. Since then, many other companies have joined the trend. As you look at the numbers, it’s easy to understand why.

According to a report from the Henley Business School, the benefits of a 4-day work week are hard to ignore:

• 78% of businesses reported happier employees
• 70% of businesses reported less stressed employees
• 64% of businesses reported having an easier time retaining young employees
• 62% of businesses reported employees taking fewer sick days.

Extending the weekend can also help avoid burnout and promote a better work-life balance. Although these may sound like buzzwords, they’re extremely important to the people you hope to keep and attract.

According to a study from Fidelity Investments, 58% of millennials agreed that work-life balance is more important than financial benefits. And if that wasn’t clear enough, 38% would even take a pay cut to improve that balance.

The Practical Benefits

In addition to boosting mental wellbeing, there are a number of practical benefits. 4-day work weeks allow your employees to:

Get More Rest

No one ever said cramming an entire work week into four days was easy, but your people will start each Monday working more refreshed after three full days off. It’s like having Labor Day weekend 52 times a year.

Waste Less PTO

Vacation time is precious, but all too often, trivial things like a trip to the dentist erode it. By having an open weekday, appointments can easily be scheduled without cutting into the workweek. That means more PTO is used for rest and relaxation.

Hustle More Often

Whether it’s food delivery for quick cash or building a budding business, having a side hustle is now common. The extra money is great, but for many people, these are passion projects. Either way, your employees will be thankful for the opportunity.

Feel Less Scatterbrained

Let’s face it. Even during work hours, work is far from the only thing on the minds of your employees. Errands. Yard work. A sink full of dirty dishes. The endless tasks that come with being an adult are always there. By having an extra day off, that to-do list gets trimmed.

Before taking scissors to your calendar, it’s important to ask yourself a few key questions. Shorter weeks are not for everyone and every industry.

In addition to all these benefits, 4-day work weeks demonstrate to your employees that you care about them both in the office and away from it. That can go a long way the next time a competitor tries to swoop in.