4-day work week: One year experience

The goal of work-life balance is what motivated GoldenRace to implement a 4-day work week. Hailed as the future of employee performance, it is said to raise workers’ happiness and productivity.

A year after launching a 4-day work week, 90% of our surveyed workers believe that their work-life balance has significantly improved, feeling more motivated, with less job-related stress and a better professional performance.

“The key for such results is trust in our employees, empowering them to easily reconcile work with their personal lives” says Martin Wachter, GoldenRace’s CEO.

Here’s what they say.

When less, is more

Probably, the biggest takeaway from a 4-day work week is the dramatic improvements in overall well-being reported by employees in our internal survey.

“The change is amazing! It’s like having a mini holiday every week. You can simply spend a whole day for yourself doing what you love, or go on a short city-break with your family and fully recharge for the upcoming week,” says Sandra Troyano, Marketing Manager at GoldenRace.

Seems like those benefits have everything to do with having an extra day to their weekend. As shown in our internal survey, our super team gets to spend more time with their families and strengthen their friendships (86%).

“I do feel lucky having a 3-day weekend. Now I can enjoy more time with family and friends and still have some time off for myself or for ordinary tasks such as going to the bank,” says Roberto Franco, Backend Programmer at GoldenRace.

Our employees reported that one extra day also allows them to go more often on cultural activities and devote more time to their hobbies (55%), such as reading, painting, sports and travelling (48%).

“… a healthy improvement, for sure, I always try to organise some outdoor activities on Fridays,” says Manuel Vázquez, GoldenRace’s QA Expert.

On top of that, 41% of our employees invest more time than before on courses and training. Because those who have the time, also have a greater desire for learning!

A chopped workday, same workload

Faced with a tighter schedule, our team had to adapt to new practices, longer hours and change their work habits.

“This new working methodology needed more organisation, both at the practical level of tasks, and short- and long-term planning. It challenges you to be even more productive and manage your time better,” says Paula Cantera, GoldenRace’s HR Manager.

Most of them saw their work methodology affected, but they were able to adapt themselves rapidly and now assure that they would not switch it back (97%).

“It has changed our entire working approach. Shorter goals and more achievable objectives. Time becomes less routine, more flexible, and that’s great when it comes to developing any creative task,” says Alba Silva, Product Designer & UI Artist at GoldenRace.

Our Super Team’s handy tips for success

With fewer working hours, organisation becomes a challenge to boost productivity. We have found, though, that a balanced work-life makes our employees come to work at their best, leading to higher levels of innovation and improved organisational practices. So, how do our employees succeed?

Every worker has a unique technique: some choose to block tasks like Luís Torres, IT Specialist, while others prefer to apply the Eisenhower Matrix like Pablo Barragán, Internal Communication Technician, but they all share one thing in common: tackling the most complex tasks first. Our employees agree that it is very important to plan tasks not just for the current, but also the following week (96%).

“I schedule urgent tasks from Monday to Wednesday. After one year, I know that if I concentrate the workload on those days, I will have a less stressful Thursday, allowing myself to focus on planning the following week. For me, the first 3 days’ boost is as valuable as the time for organisation on Thursdays,” says Cláudia Pereira, Social Media Specialist at GoldenRace.

Besides, our crew agrees that improving intra-team communication and cutting down on unnecessary meetings is crucial to maximise productivity. A strong bonded team performs better and lifts the team spirits during the most challenging weeks!