Four Day Working Week: Why We’ve Made The Change
In 2023 Cup North has given our team the gift of time at no extra cost and this is how we did it.
As someone who employs people I consider it my responsibility to highly value the impact that working for my company has on those employees. Yes, we can all expect the day-to-day to be challenging at times but do they have everything they need to weather those storms with ease? I’m confident that they do but, I felt we could do more! And so, from the first week of January, our small team of three have moved from working five days a week to four.
A brief dig into the history of the working week shows the progression we’ve made in the last 100 years from working six days a week to five – it was John Boot who introduced the two-day weekend in 1933 and we’ve never looked back. But, in my opinion, two days rest is not enough and in this world where our productivity levels are far greater than in the thirties due to the advancements in technology, why are we married to this archaic working structure?
The four day working week has recently been successfully implemented as part of a huge UK-based trial; and when reviewing the outcomes of that trial, all I could see were overwhelming positive reasons to make the change. Those included an increase in productivity as staff are better rested and more likely to engage with work; a better work/life balance resulting in energised staff that produce better work; and an improvement in mental health which results in less time off work sick and a happier workplace for all. A no-brainer if you ask me.
We’re only a month into our new working structure and so far so good. We’re mindful of communicating any small delays that people may experience in waiting for a response and are experiencing all of the positive effects outlined above. We’ve been enjoying bonus time outside, childfree hours, bike rides, baking and lots more, and come Monday morning, the team is refreshed and ready to take on a new week.
Creating an accessible working environment that welcomes people from all communities – from parents, to neurodiverse folks, to those with disabilities – is an absolute must for me. And in a world where the demands of life are increasingly stressful I’m so pleased that we have been able to implement this change to improve the work and life balance of the Cup North team. I hope others in the world of specialty coffee follow!