Administrative staff at Wellesley Township 'feeling refreshed' after four-day work weeks

Wellesley Township administrative staff are halfway into a one-year pilot project for a compressed work week, and it’s already getting rave reviews.

A township committee approved the project in June 2022 that sees employees working 35 hours per week condensed into four days rather than five.

“It introduces an aspect and flexibility I don't think I've had in a job before,” said Tim Van Hinte, the director of planning with the township.

The township uses cohorts – each working Monday to Thursday and Tuesday to Friday, with those groups rotating every four weeks.

Van Hinte said you get more done as you have more time to do it.

“It helps you recharge the batteries a bit more, and then when you come back to work, you're feeling refreshed, you're feeling better, ready to go,” said Van White.

Some tweaks to the plan have been made along the way.

Part of the pilot policy allowed staff to work from home two days out of the four. But with rotating cohorts, there would be only one overlap day for colleagues to interact in person.

Now they only allow one work from home day if staff are on the four-day work week and two work from home days if they’re on the five-day work week.

Staff did see other challenges, like communicating with other municipalities. Staff said if meetings were scheduled on off days, staff would adjust and accommodate as best as possible.

“If you can provide the same level of service and same quality of life for your employees, why wouldn't you do that?” Van Hinte said.

Rik Louwagie admitted that weeks with statutory holidays proved to be difficult as a three-day work week could make some fall behind in their work.

“So, any week with a statutory holiday, we work four seven-hour days for the rest of that week, so we have enough overlap of staff,” Louwagie said.

Some township staff are encouraging other municipalities to follow a similar model.

The pilot project will wrap up in July 2023, but for now, it is unclear if the four-day work week will become permanent for admin staff.