Is it time for a 4-day workweek in Massachusetts?

BOSTON — T-G-I-T?

The 4-day workweek has been talked about for years, but one researcher thinks it’s time for Massachusetts employers to consider shifting to four 10-hour workdays.

“This is the time for employers to think differently about the workplace and work schedules,” said Scott Behson, Professor of Management at Fairleigh Dickson University and author of the new book, The Whole-Person Workplace. “Really now is the time. It would be a shame to have to suffer through everything we all suffered through for the last two years and not learn any lessons and not try to do things differently and better.”

Brigham Young University researchers studied the effect of 4-day workweeks in 2008. They found workers experienced “lower levels of at-home conflict, which…translate[d] to higher job satisfaction and productivity.” Utah experimented with condensed workweeks for state employees a decade ago but abandoned the idea after three years because officials didn’t think it was saving the state any money.

The company Kickstarter announced a pilot 4-day work week for 2022 as part of a nationwide campaign called “4-Day Week U.S,” a nonprofit organization that advocates for a shortened workweek.

“Companies that have experimented with the 4-day week, they have not reduced pay or mandated longer workdays. They have seen productivity either hold steady or increase,” Behson said.

Tiffany So works 45-50 hours a week in Boston’s Financial District. She said her financial company is still on a hybrid work model, with a couple of days at home and a few days in the office. She would be open to coming in for four 10-hour workdays.

“It sounds like companies are being pretty flexible,” So said.

“I think that would be nice because then I could enjoy a 3-day weekend,” said Sathima Jones, an employee at a Boston insurance company. “A lot of days I’m doing ten hours so it doesn’t make a difference.”

Behson said employers have a hard time embracing change, which is why the 4-day work week has been slow to catch on.

“I think some managers have a hard time letting go of being able to see all their employees at one time and trust that the work is getting done. But better organizations are better able to make sure that people are working well and to manage productivity that way,’ Behson said.

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