In an era where burnout, ‘quiet quitting’, and work-life balance have permeated the conversation around employment, how can employers stand out?
The implementation of a shorter work week is the most equitable way to strive towards this universal goal of balance and happiness. While a Canadian pilot of a four-day week is still underway, recent results from a similar UK trial show a four-day workweek can significantly improve employee wellness. Key findings include:
- 54% of employees reported a reduction in negative emotions
- 43% reported an increase in mental health
- 71% reported a decrease in burnout
- 54% reported a better work-life balance
Helping me to delve into these findings in episode 565 is Joe O’Connor a globally recognized expert in shorter working weeks. Joe leads the Toronto-based Work Time Reduction Centre of Excellence (WTR-CoE) that’s focused on how a four-day week might work in the HR field and what it might mean for recruitment, retention and employee happiness.
Questions for Joe Include:
- Can you tell us what inspired you to get involved with the four-day workweek movement?
- What are some of the benefits of a shorter working week?
- How does a shorter workweek affect retention and recruitment?
- What are some key obstacles to the four-day week you’ve seen that HR professionals might encounter and how can we best overcome them?
- What’s your hope for the future of the shorter workweek movement?
- What are some things HR professionals can implement (such as training, tools and technology) to make a shorter work week a reality?
More About Joe O’Connor, Director &Co-founder, Work Time Reduction Center of Excellence
Joe is the Director and Co-founder of the world’s first Center of Excellence in Work Time Reduction, a new global initiative based in Toronto, Canada, which has been launched in partnership with leading people-first transformation company Curium Solutions.
Previously, as the chief executive officer of 4 Day Week Global, Joe led the design and implementation of four-day week trials all over the world, supporting hundreds of employers and thousands of employees to make the transition to reduced-hour, productivity-focused working in 2021 and 2022.
Joe recently led a research project on work time reduction as a visiting research scholar with Cornell University in New York City. He is now based in Toronto, where he heads up Canadian operations for Curium Solutions in addition to directing the Work Time Reduction CoE.
Joe is also formerly the chairperson of the Four Day Week Ireland campaign, having founded the coalition in 2019, where he developed the world’s first four-day week pilot program and research project in 2021.
He has been active on the issue of working time reduction since 2018, when he organized a major international conference and research paper on ‘The Future of Working Time’.
Did You Know…
The World Day of Happiness, celebrated on March 20 by the United Nations, recognizes happiness as a universal goal and calls for a more inclusive and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all people.