An Ontario Township Is Testing Out The 4-Day Workweek & Here's What You Need To Know
They'll also have "flexible" work options! đź‘©đź’»
There's been a lot of talk about a four-day workweek in Ontario in the past few months, and there's one township that just made it a reality for its residents for a short time.
Starting April 25, the Township of Springwater will be testing out a four-day workweek for five months that will give workers options for some hybrid, flexible, and remote work.
"The 4-day compressed work week has previously been implemented in a small number of Ontario municipalities, including the Townships of Zorra, Blandford Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, and South-West Oxford," they announced in a press release.
"In staff’s outreach to these communities, they have learned of numerous benefits to the 4-day work week, from enhanced staff retention and attraction to improved employee morale, increased productivity, and a reduction in absenteeism."
The Springwater Township also noted that through the trial run, which is part of their Flexible Work Arrangement Policy, they hope to allow better access and flexibility to their services to both residents and staff.
Here's how it'll work
The staff working for the Springwater Township are going to be working more hours from Tuesday to Friday, or Monday to Thursday so that they can still meet the 35 to 40 hours they normally would during a regular workweek.
"Arranging the team in two separate groups will allow the municipality to keep its office doors open five days per week with the extended hours providing residents and other stakeholders an extra hour of service each day at no additional cost to the Springwater taxpayer," they said in the release.
The township said employees can volunteer if they want to participate in the four-day workweek (though it'll depend on the department's operational requirements they work for.)
"Our goal with this trial is to further establish a culture where we celebrate balance with increased flexibility and trust, resulting in happier and more productive employees," Jeff Schmidt, the township's chief administrative officer, said in the release.