An Ontario Township Is Testing Out The 4-Day Workweek & Here's What You Need To Know

There's been a lot of talk about a four-day workweek in Ontario in the past few months, and one township will make 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.

"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," the township said 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 township noted that the trial run, which is part of a larger Flexible Work Arrangement Policy, comes as an effort to provide better access and flexibility to their services for both residents and staff.

Here's how it'll work

The staff working for the Township of Springwater 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," said the release.

The township said employees can volunteer if they want to participate in the four-day workweek (though their participation will be subject to their department's operational requirements).

"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.