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“Everything indicates this is going fantastically,” said Joe Harvey, Golden Police Department Chief, in November 2023, three months into a four-day workweek trial.
“No negative feedback, no concerns raised,” said Scott Vargo, City Manager, Golden, speaking to CNN following a recent community meeting.
“When they (the patrol officers) come in, they’re energetic, more engaged, ready to hit the road and get work done,” said Marcus Williams, Commander.
The feedback for a reduced workweek at Golden Police Department, Colorado, has been overwhelmingly positive.
Golden Police Department ran a trial from 10 July 2023 to 31 December 2023, reducing the workweek of all employees to four eight-hour days, with no reduction in pay.
If even a governmental organization such as a Police Department – which Vargo acknowledges is often seen as “stagnant” and following “the status quo” – can see positive results, is it time more HR leaders pushed their companies to consider a similar trial?
The four-day phenomenon
Calls for a four-day workweek grew in popularity in 2023. In August, Missouri announced that it would switch to trial a 4-day week for a third of its schools owing to a shortage of teachers; companies such as Kickstarter continued to celebrate success from a shorter work week; and a survey from Bankrate in August 2023 found 81% of full-time workers and job seekers support a four-day workweek.
Three months into the Golden Police Department’s trial, the results were already showing. According to a report in November 2023 from Colorado Community Media:
“Response times are the same or slightly better than last year’s. Overtime spending is down 80% from the same period in 2022. Retention has improved, and employees have shared that they’re less stressed.”
At the conclusion of the trial, it is clear that redesigning work patterns and organizational structures around a four-day workweek is delivering positive results across the board.
Employees such as crime scene investigator Latara Durand describe the work-life balance this has offered: “I’m able to go to some of my kids’ activities… …it’s literally a day off where I’m not focused on work,” she says.
Any HR leader pushing to deliver a four-day workweek will also need to consider a business case for such a major organizational redesign. Whilst it’s too soon to tell how successful the police department’s trial has been beyond broad community satisfaction, other cases present clear evidence as to why it is worth businesses considering a trial.
On the other side of the Atlantic, 61 UK companies took part in a trial program for this new work model from June 2022. Results in February 2023 indicated 92% were continuing the trial, with average revenue rising by 1.4%, and the number of paid sick leave dropping by 65%.
Case studies like this are a compelling call to action for employers, including the Golden Police Department. “We’ve seen it work in the data and the research in other areas, in other industries,” says Vargo. “So, why not us?”
Tricky to execute and not for everyone
Moving a department, let alone an entire workforce, to a four-day workweek is a major organizational redesign. If not managed properly, it can break down trust between employees, employers, and customers or clients.
Indeed, Durand describes her challenges in adjusting to the new schedule. “(It) was a little bit stressful in the beginning,” she explains. “I didn’t think I needed to make any changes.”
The usual change management culprit of clearly communicating expectations, when not handled properly, can cause difficulties.
Vargo also had to handle skepticism from the Golden community, including adequate police coverage. “We’re not expecting people to work less, we’re asking them to work fewer hours but we’re asking them to get the same or more done in a shorter period,” Vargo said.
The 100:80:100 model that Vargo alludes to is a succinct and popular summary of the new working relationship: 100 per cent of the pay for 80 per cent of the time, whilst maintaining at least 100 per cent productivity.
Setting clear expectations can avoid circumstances where employees fail to meet productivity goals. But even when expectations are clear, the pressure of new work patterns can cause issues.
At the Police Department, employees had a weekly survey to ask how they were feeling about the new work schedule on a scale of zero to 100. Combined with productivity and efficiency metrics, this helped uncover concerns and support employees through the change.
Consistent check-ins, alongside training and support for employees, are necessary to avoid fatigue, errors, and disengagement.
Shifting to a four-day workweek is certainly not the right decision for every organization. Vargo, for one, warns that “seasonal tweaking” is needed depending on the role and responsibilities.
But the case of the Golden Police Department is further proof that, when executed with reason, precision, and purpose, a four-day workweek can help HR and businesses alike to meet their goals whilst supporting employee wellbeing.
