The four-day workweek has been a hot topic recently, heralded as a potential solution for burnout, poor work-life balance, and even climate change. While reducing the workweek might increase productivity and revenue, it also equates to longer days, delayed project delivery, and issues coordinating with vendors and other trades.

Introducing the four-day workweek was one of the most significant challenges to the status quo since Henry Ford popularized the eight-hour-a-day, five-day workweek back in 1926. Those in favor of a shorter workweek argue that our work lives are long overdue for a change, while others remain skeptical about whether the approach can live up to the hype and be applied effectively across all industries, particularly construction. 

Quick look

• Some studies show that fewer workdays make employees more productive and can increase average company revenue by 35%.
• 30% of CEOs are looking into the idea of reduced work days.
• Challenges to adopting a four-day workweek within the construction industry include longer hours, staffing issues, tight project deadlines, and difficulty working with vendors and clients. 
• One poll shows that employees working four-day weeks experience higher levels of burnout than those working a traditional five-day week.

What the four-day workweek looks like 

Companies that adopt four-day workweeks typically take the 100-80-100 approach, meaning that 100% of the work gets done in 80% of the time while earning 100% pay. 

The central idea behind the four-day workweek is that more hours don’t necessarily mean greater productivity. Advocates of shorter workweeks argue that giving workers one more day off each week can increase productivity and revenue by 35% on average.

Adopting a reduced workweek can also tackle the issue of presenteeism, a common workplace phenomenon where simply showing up and being present in the office or on the job site takes priority over taking care of yourself. With presenteeism, you may have your boots on the ground or your butt in the seat, but due to illness, burnout, or other limiting factors, you are unproductive and underperforming.  

The idea that less is more is gaining traction. Approximately 30% of US CEOs say they’re exploring the idea of a shortened workweek, and while four-day workweeks are advertised in less than 0.3% of all job postings on employment site Indeed, that number has tripled in the past four years. 

The challenges of a reduced workweek in the trades

Implementing a four-day workweek has been met with success in some office environments, but applying it to the construction industry poses unique challenges. 

Longer days

A key concept underpinning the four-day workweek movement is that it is possible to complete the same amount of work in 20% less time. For jobs with unnecessary meetings or lots of downtime, shifting to working four days instead of five just means working more efficiently and effectively. 

Many construction workers, however, already feel like they’re racing the clock to get projects done on time. Cramming the same amount of work into fewer days would inevitably result in long days and exhausted workers, a risky proposition when heavy machinery and intense physical labor are involved.  

Delayed project delivery

The construction industry is notorious for tight deadlines that can be tough to meet, even with a regular five-day workweek. Unexpected delays can cause projects to run behind, spilling work into overtime hours and sometimes calling on workers to work weekends. 

Limiting workers to four days a week can make these deadlines even tighter, extending project timelines and upping the final price tag. Adding more workers to cover the extra time off and keep projects on schedule would be difficult for an industry already struggling with a shortage of skilled workers.

Coordinating with vendors and trades

Working with other trades, vendors, suppliers, and clients means being available on their schedule. A shortened workweek can complicate these working relationships, causing communication gaps and missed connections.  

Does a shorter workweek support better mental health?

Those pushing for four-day workweeks often cite evidence of increased mental health, but in some cases, the opposite turns out to be true. 

UK grocery store chain Asda tested a four-day workweek with less-than-encouraging results. Staff reported that the experience resulted in 11-hour days, which they found “physically demanding.”

A 2022 Gallup poll asked over 12,000 employees how many days they worked each week and collected data about their engagement and well-being. Although those who worked four-day workweeks were the least likely to feel actively disengaged from their jobs, they also reported higher rates of burnout than those working five days a week.  

How some companies are making it work

Despite the challenges of implementing a four-day workweek in the construction industry, there are success stories. 

Orocco, a Scotland-based building and renovation contractor, adopted a four-day workweek in 2020. Their brand manager says that compressing a 39-hour workweek into a Monday-Thursday schedule has boosted their recruitment abilities, giving their company an uncommon edge in a competitive industry.

Bottom line

While adopting a four-day week in construction isn’t impossible, it isn’t a magic solution to common workplace woes. Reducing work days can come with significant challenges and may put even more pressure on workers already stretched to the brink as they strain under the weight of long work days and tight deadlines.