We Found Companies With 4-Day Workweeks—And Yes, They’re Hiring

Once upon a time, workplace perks meant having ping-pong tables in the office, corporate pizza lunches, and very colorful beanbag The post We Found Companies With 4-Day Workweeks—And Yes, They’re Hiring appeared first on The Everygirl.

We Found Companies With 4-Day Workweeks—And Yes, They’re Hiring
4-day workweek

Once upon a time, workplace perks meant having ping-pong tables in the office, corporate pizza lunches, and very colorful beanbag chairs. Now, the most coveted perk has shifted to be time itself—from the implementation of summer Fridays, to hybrid work models, unlimited PTO, and most notably, four-day workweeks. After years of being overworked and unimpressed by quirky office perks, young workers have made it clear they’re after fixes that actually chip away at issues like burnout and work-life balance. And shockingly, some companies are already starting to listen.

What once passively lingered in my mid-workday daydreams is now becoming a reality—and studies are proving it. In fact, researchers recently conducted the largest study of the four-day workweek to date, with results finding a significant boost in job satisfaction and both mental and physical health.

A real shift is happening. And even though this trend has yet to evolve into an industry standard, the fact that these jobs exist is wildly motivating. And the best part? There are jobs available. So, if you’ve been experiencing burnout, feeling overwhelmed, or wanting to reclaim a little more of your own time in your life, it might be time to find a job with a four-day workweek. To save you from falling down the inevitable job-search spiral, we’ve rounded up the companies already offering four-day work weeks, where to find them, and what you should know before applying.

What is a 4-Day workweek?

A four-day workweek shrinks the typical Monday-Friday grind into four days. The models are not exactly solidified in practice, but it can either involve a compressed schedule (four 10-hour days) or a reduced hours schedule (four eight-hour days). According to a KPMG survey of CEOs, 30 percent of large U.S. companies are already testing some variation of it. And the results speak for themselves: Early adopters of the four-day workweek are already reporting less burnout, better focus, and a healthier balance between work and life. They are most common in tech, creative, and nonprofit fields, but with conversations around flexibility and mental health never not heating up online, more industries are bound to start experimenting, too.

Pros and cons of the 4-day workweek

Pros

I don’t think anyone could really be against the idea of working fewer days if it meant reclaiming some personal time. The idea of having extra time to run errands, go to doctors’ appointments, and carve out some much-needed “me time” without cramming it between Sunday scaries sounds like a dream. And the idea isn’t really just to give employees a long weekend—it’s also about reducing burnout, reclaiming time, and actually enjoying life outside of work overall.

Research already shows that shorter workweeks have proven to make people way more focused and productive during the hours they are working, making it a win-win for both employees and companies. In fact, when researchers recently tested the four-day work model on 141 companies, 90 percent of them kept the model after testing based on positive results. “When people are more well rested, they make fewer mistakes and work more intensely,” said Pedro Gomes, an economist at Birkbeck University of London.

Cons

The benefits of a four-day workweek are obviously great, but there have to be some drawbacks, right? Yes. For one, it may require working longer days, which can be physically and emotionally draining. Think: 10 long hours in front of your computer instead of eight.

Additionally, the four-day work model isn’t universally applicable; industries like healthcare or retail may struggle to implement it fully without compromising their service quality. For example, “healthcare staff might find themselves rushing through patient appointments, potentially compromising the quality of care,” according to Great Place to Work. And manufacturing teams might see an increase in error rates as a result of pushing to meet production targets in fewer days. This could lead to added stress on both the company and the employee, which would defeat the purpose of the transition.

What companies are already offering 4-day workweeks?

There is no four-day workweek gatekeeping here. In an Instagram post, Career educator and author Christian Lovell shared a list of where to find four-day workweek jobs, in an effort to push against the traditional 9-to-5 workweek. “The demands of life have changed, but the 40-hour workweek has not,” Lovell shared. She emphasizes that employee well-being isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore, but also a productivity hack for better performance overall. The companies below have caught on—and many are hiring for four-day workweek roles right now.

How to find 4-day workweek jobs

Surprisingly, it’s not as hard as you think to find four-day workweeks. You just have to know the niche job markets offering and where to look. Thankfully, Christian Lovell shares the job boards they commonly live on as well as a few search terms to use to help find them.

Job boards to try:

Search terms to use

  • “4-day workweek”
  • “compressed schedule”
  • “32-hour workweek”
  • “flexible schedule”

Tips for landing a 4-day workweek role

Snagging four-day workweek jobs takes a little strategy—and a lot of knowing where to look. Thanks to Lovell’s insights on the industry, sharing helpful search tips and companies to research, this is a great place to start. Begin your hunt in industries that actually do this, like tech, marketing, and digital-first companies.

When applying, focus on highlighting the results you can deliver in fewer hours—showing off your productivity skills and how they can prove effective in this kind of environment. Networking can also be your secret weapon here, too: Don’t be afraid to reach out to people already thriving on a four-day schedule to get the inside scoop. Slide in those DM’s, message on LinkedIn—get in there. And finally, be ready to negotiate flexible options and clearly outline how you’ll maintain your task load in interviews. This is key to landing the role and proving this model works for both you and the company.

Madigan Will
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Madigan Will, Assistant Editor

As an Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Madigan writes and edits content for every topic under the digital media sun. As the oldest of four siblings, she enjoys utilizing her big sister persona to connect and inspire readers—helping them discover new ways to maximize their everyday.

The post We Found Companies With 4-Day Workweeks—And Yes, They’re Hiring appeared first on The Everygirl.

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