Dear HR Manager | Exploring a Four-Day Workweek
How do I explore a four-day workweek without disrupting everything?
We’ve had a growing interest in a four-day workweek, and one team has offered to pilot it informally. Our leadership team is unsure how to scale this, and I’d like to volunteer my team for the next pilot, but I want to be smart in our approach.
—Curious, Not Careless
Dear Curious,
You’re not the only one weighing this. What used to feel like a fringe benefit is now a real strategy conversation.
Start with a Small Test
Begin your pilot with either a 32-hour week or a “compressed” four-day schedule. Make goals crystal clear: Will success be measured by output? Client response time? Team sentiment? This keeps expectations realistic—and signals that you’re learning, not locking in.
Document Learning
Encourage the pilot team to track what worked, what didn’t, and how they managed handoffs or cross-functional work. Share their insights with the leadership team. These lessons can be compared with the first pilot group’s learnings.
Set the Tone
Remind teams that this isn’t about “doing more with less.” It’s about working smarter, not harder, and finding what fits your organization’s culture. A four-day week doesn’t have to be all or nothing. But even trying a pilot with your team signals you’re listening and open to new ideas.
—HR Manager
Originally featured in UBA’s July 2025 HR Elements Newsletter.
