Between the pandemic, the desire for more work-life balance, and the need for more flexibility, employers and employees are rethinking not only physical in-office requirements, but also the standard five-day workweek. In fact, given the increased productivity and worker satisfaction associated with four day workweeks, more companies are trialing the concept and others have already adopted it for good.
With remote work now more normalized, and an emerging trend of the 32-hour week, many job seekers may be seeking a new ideal work arrangement: four-day workweeks from their home office. To support job seekers that want to work from home for only four days a week, FlexJobs has identified 12 companies with four-day workweeks that also hire remote workers.
“In today’s changing work landscape, it’s no surprise shorter workweeks are getting so much attention,” said Brie Reynolds, Career Development Manager at FlexJobs. “One of our social media polls revealed that the overwhelming majority supported the idea, specifying that they would prefer Friday or Monday off, although many opted for a mid week break with Wednesday off, instead. When we think about the future of work, this sentiment signals the importance of healthy work-life balance and the role job flexibility plays in achieving it,” Reynolds concluded.
One survey of people aged 22 to 35 who quit their jobs found that 32 percent would have stayed at their old job had they been offered a four-day workweek. The same survey also found that 80 percent of all respondents support a four-day workweek.
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A second survey found even more support for the four-day workweek. Of the 1,000 respondents:
- 95.4% want a four-day workweek
- 90% believe the five-day workweek is outdated
- 97% think they’d be more productive working four days per week
- 98% believe their mental health would improve
And to get a four-day workweek, people said they’d give up:
- Unlimited paid time off (38%)
- Free company-provided healthcare (43%)
- An eight-hour day by working two additional hours per day (58%)
- Their current job (74%)
The 12 companies below currently follow or plan to offer shorter workweeks, and are hiring or recently hired for remote roles in the FlexJobs database. More details on each company’s workweek policy and examples of recent job postings are also included. By highlighting these companies, FlexJobs hopes to provide remote job seekers with a strong starting point in their career search, and inspire other organizations to embrace more flexible work arrangements as well.
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For candidates pursuing remote positions at companies offering shorter workweeks, FlexJobs’ Career Coaching team has shared their top tips and expert advice for a more successful job search.
1. Research the Right Companies
Due to the growing interest in shorter workweeks, more companies may soon make the shift and begin announcing their own plans. It’s important that job seekers stay in the loop as much as possible. Try to keep tabs on the running list of companies that offer a shortened workweek through online resources like Bolt’s Conscious Culture Initiative and this growing list from BuildRemote.
If a job seeker is interested in a particular company, they should head to the website’s Career page, search for open listings, and sign up for alerts via email for new job postings. While a company may not have anything available that’s a fit right now, there’s a good chance a great opportunity could be posted in the future.
2. Search & Save Keywords
In addition to checking on company pages, job seekers can also make use of keyword searches. However, it’s highly important to search for the correct keywords with quotation marks to effectively find the right job listings. Job seekers should also create a few variations of their keyword search, and set up alerts to be notified whenever new positions that match these terms are posted. Some examples of search terms include:
- “Four day work week”
- “4 day workweek”
- “Compressed workweek”
- “Short work week”
- “Reduced hours”
- “32 hour workweek”
3. Highlight Previous Experience & Skills
For anyone specifically going after remote jobs with a shorter workweek, it’s imperative to tailor job applications accordingly. Include any details about any related experience with a reduced workweek and highlight it either next to the job title or in a bullet point on the resume. This can include any type of shortened workweek schedule, whether it’s working flexible hours, a reduced number of hours, or something similar.
If a job seeker doesn’t have this experience, our career coaches recommend highlighting the specific skills that would make an applicant an excellent fit, such as great time and task management, the ability to prioritize and deprioritize, written and verbal communication, organization, and productivity.
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