How The 4-Day Week Changed My Work-Life Balance

By Jason O’Donoghue, Senior Tech Recruitment Consultant

I recently started a 4-day work week structure as a reward for reaching and being over target for a few consecutive months, a great perk introduced by Stelfox a couple years ago.

I live and work in Cork and a 4-day week means I can enjoy my hobbies even more.  I like to get up early, go for a run and maximise my day off, always being on the go, staying active, cleaning my car etc… I also enjoy long walks along the River Lee (shout out to Bosca for their great coffee on the Lee Fields) or in Blarney Castle’s park, listening to great podcasts and inspirational audiobook (I recommend “You can’t hurt me” by David Goggins).

Productivity-wise, I feel more energetic and refreshed to be extra productive at work after a day off. Before a day off, I like to organise myself and enjoy the day because I know I am off the next day. Mid-week days off are great in order to pace my week and enjoy the rest of my work time.

Stelfox CEO, Phil Carr introduced the initiative in 2019 as it had proven successful in other countries. “It’s great to see Jason move into the 4-day week – well done.  I hope that in the near future, we will have a business where most people enjoy a 4-day week, working from home, office or wherever they like – our business and hours of work will be based on results and effort, not time in your seat”.

A few New Zealand-based companies tested it in 2020 and saw great results: 20% lift in employee productivity, a 27% reduction in work stress levels, and a 45% increase in employee work-life balance (Source: Perpetual Guardian).

Here in Ireland, many smaller firms have introduced the model recently. We will report again on our company-wide progress in a few months, so watch this space…  

If you want to join our high-achieving Recruitment Team and get your own 4-day week, contact us on [email protected] or via our website www.stelfox.com