How to Find Jobs With a 4-Day Workweek

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on FlexJobs.com.

When you think of a full-time role, you likely think of working 40 hours per week — eight hours a day, five days a week to be exact.

And it’s understandable since this work schedule has been the gold standard for about 100 years! But times are changing.

There’s a greater desire for better work-life balance and more work flexibility, and thankfully, employers and employees are rethinking what “full-time work” really means and embracing four-day workweeks.

How the 40-Hour Workweek Came to Be

In 1926, Henry Ford found that working more than 40 hours per week resulted in small productivity increases from his staff, but that increase did not last.

Realizing it wasn’t in his company’s best interests to have workers on the job for more than 40 hours, Ford adopted and popularized a standard 40-hour workweek.

Then, in 1932, Sen. Hugo Black (D-Ala.) drafted the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which included a 30-hour workweek. That version of the act did not pass, but in 1938, a revised version with the beginnings of the 40-hour week was passed.

The FLSA does not define what full- or part-time employment is, explicitly stating, “This is a matter generally to be determined by the employer.”

What the FLSA does say is that nonexempt employees working over 40 hours per week are entitled to overtime pay, which is likely why most employers stick with a 40-hour workweek.

40 Remote and Flexible Companies With a 4-Day Workweek

Given the growing interest among workers and the benefits of a short workweek (like increased productivity and worker satisfaction), companies across the globe are experimenting with shorter workweeks. And some are making the switch permanent.

To help job seekers connect with companies offering four-day workweeks, FlexJobs has identified remote companies with previous postings in the FlexJobs database that either currently have or plan to offer shorter workweeks.

Please note that each company has varying ways of carrying out its four-day workweek policies regarding days and hours.

1. Advocates for Youth
2. Augury
3. Awin Inc.
4. Balsamiq
5. Basecamp
6. Bedrock Learning
7. Blackthorn.io
8. Bolt Financial
9. Buffer
10. Bunny Studio
11. CARFAX
12. Collabora
13. Common Future
14. DNSFilter
15. Do Big Things
16. Fight for the Future
17. G2i
18. GooseChase
19. Kickstarter
20. Merit America
21. Monograph Inc.
22. National Parks Conservation Association – NPCA
23. Nectafy
24. Network Rail
25. New Leaders
26. Panasonic
27. PDQ.com
28. Poll Everywhere
29. Praytell
30. Procurify Technologies
31. Raisely
32. Regen Network
33. RocketAir
34. SambaSafety
35. SOAX
36. TapIn Media UK
37. The Wanderlust Group – TWG
38. thredUP
39. Welcome to the Jungle – WTTJ
40. YNAB – You Need A Budget

Benefits of a 4-Day Workweek

The 40-hour workweek may be on its way out, though, as more workers search for greater flexibility, better work-life balance, or more meaningful work.

Several surveys have found that a shorter workweek may hold the key to retaining top talent.

A six-month trial starting in 2022 and conducted by 4 Day Week Global, 4 Day Week Campaign, and Autonomy had astounding results in the U.K., U.S., Canada, and Ireland.

Companies saw revenue and productivity increases, while employees were healthier and happier. Because of the initial results, additional trials were conducted in South Africa and Australia.

Now, with a year under their belt, the long-term results have been published. The following are the key takeaways.

Positive Impacts for Companies

• Revenue increases: Weighed in accordance with company size, companies saw revenues increase by 15%.
• New talent: 8.7 out of 10 employers noted the four-day week as a way to attract new talent.
• Increased retention: Employees wanting to leave their jobs dropped by 32%.
• Business productivity and performance: Companies rated performance and productivity as 7.7 out of 10.
• Continuing program: Of companies participating, 100% plan on continuing or are leaning toward keeping the four-day week.

Positive Impacts for Employees

• Less work time: During the six-month trial, work time declined to an average of 33.85. But after a full year, it dropped to 32.97 hours.
• Increased productivity: Increased productivity was seen by 57% of employees.
• Decreased stress: Thanks to a four-day week, 40% of employees experienced less stress.
• Decreased burnout: 69% of those participating experienced reductions in burnout.
• Health improvements: Both mental and physical health saw improvement. Employees reported a decline in negative emotions (59%), less fatigue (45%), and fewer sleep problems (40%). Additionally, 39% of those reporting saw a decrease in anxiety.
• Better work-life balance: Six in 10 people saw a decline in conflict between work and life, with 74% reporting they were more satisfied with their work-life balance.

Additional Findings

• Thanks to the time saved on the four-day week, 42% of participants did more environmentally-friendly activities.
• The project found that 95% of employees support a four-day workweek, with many of them stating they’d need a pay increase to work a five-day week.
• Related to a pay increase to return to the office, 13.8% of professionals stated no amount of money could entice them to work a five-day schedule again.

How to Find a 4-Day Workweek

To help job seekers land a job at companies with four-day workweeks, FlexJobs’ career experts have the following tips.

1. Research and Connect

Thanks to the heightened interest in shorter workweeks, more companies may soon make the shift to a four-day workweek.

To stay in the know, keep track of which companies are embracing the trend. When you find companies that support four-day workweeks, head over to their career page and sign up for new job posting alerts via email.

There may not be something for you right now, but you never know what the future holds!

2. Search and Save Keywords

In addition to researching companies, keyword searches can also help you connect with these companies. However, it’s crucial to search for the correct keywords using quotation marks.

Use a few keyword variations in your search, then set up alerts, so you’re notified when new positions matching your search terms are posted. Some search term examples are:

• “Four day work week”
• “4 day workweek”
• “Compressed workweek”
• “Short work week”
• “Reduced hours”
• “32 hour workweek”

3. Highlight Your Short Workweek Skills

While tailoring your application to the job you’re applying to is always a smart move, you should also highlight your relevant four-day workweek skills.

Include details about previous experience with short workweeks, like working flexible hours or only working 30 hours a week.

If you don’t have direct experience with a compressed workweek, you can highlight the specific skills that demonstrate that you can go from a 40-hour workweek to a shorter one without missing a beat. Mention your strengths in:

• Time and task management
• Ability to prioritize (and deprioritize)
• Communication skills (written and verbal)
• Organizational skills
• Productivity tricks

When Less Is More

While a 40-hour workweek is the most common one right now, that may not remain the case.

Employers are recognizing the benefits of a compressed workweek, including more motivated and efficient employees who are more likely to stick around.

Likewise, workers are realizing that they can accomplish everything they need to in less than 40 hours, giving them some much-desired work-life balance.