A creative branding and marketing agency with offices in Bristol and Cardiff has switched its staff to a four-day week but still pays them for five days鈥 work.
Employees at Cre8ion work 9am to 5pm from Monday to Thursday and have Fridays off.
The staff work on a two-week cycle, with week one ending in a normal day off and week two ending with a day spent on research and development projects, education and career progression.
Founder Darrell Irwin says he did a lot of research and discovered the five-day week was originally implemented for factory workers in the 20th century, so felt it was time to make the change.
He said: 鈥淲e are always up for challenging the norms. Having taken some advice, we floated the idea of a four day week with some key players and launched in May.
鈥淲e pay staff for five days [because] we believe companies that invest this way have better retention, are more creative and have stronger cultures. Cramming in hours to get a day off just doesn鈥檛 fit what we are trying to achieve.鈥
The business benefits, points out Darrell, are numerous.
He said: 鈥淲e are in a deadline industry and the new week is promoting a more efficient way of operating, streamlining bloated processes, and creating more efficient ways of delivery.
鈥淚 think most companies would say that on Friday afternoons there is a bit of a slow down. With four straight days our team are on it.
鈥淲e make the best use of hours we have. We waste less time as a result but everyone knows there is a tangible benefit. Extra time for life and exploration.鈥
Andrius Bartulis, an employee at Cre8ion, says the new working week has given him more time to spend on his hobbies and personal projects.
鈥淚t also makes the weekend feel much longer meaning that I end up being more rested and focused during the four days," he said. "To me the four-day work week is probably the best perk any workplace could offer.鈥
A lot of the staff at Cre8ion have young families and it has helped them take more time out to spend with them, adds Darrell.
鈥淟ife is busy and yes, we work, but we want our staff to have a great home life as well," he added.
'Employers can give people opportunities to reach their potential'
Darrell believes implementing a four-day week makes business sense as it mirrors the changes in how the next generation is living.
"I think that many people are looking for a better work-life balance," he explained. "Today鈥檚 workforce doesn鈥檛 want work to dominate at the expense of what is being worked for (family, friends, opportunity).
"It鈥檚 not all about money, it鈥檚 about a cause to believe in. Employers can give people opportunities to reach their potential and care about the individual at the same time. If your team is happy and more productive then of course it does help increase the bottom line."
The company is part of the Natwest Accelerator programme in Bristol, which is where Darrell developed the idea.
Olly Reid, NatWest scale acceleration manager, added: 鈥淏ristol is a vibrant city of businesses that are leading the way when it comes to pioneering new ways of working to support staff wellbeing and productivity.
"It鈥檚 no surprise that聽Cre8ion聽is one of these innovators... their move to a four-day week certainly hasn鈥檛 diluted their growth as the company continues to go from strength to strength.鈥
The four-day week, explains Darrell, is an investment that helps maximize productivity and creates a better culture.
He added: "It cuts out wasted time, fuels focus and gives the team time to be creative. It all feels a bit revolutionary but no one ever made progress without making a few brave choices."
