At Future Female Leaders, we’re always looking for ways to create workplaces where women – and all team members – can thrive. One of the ways we’re doing this is by trialling a four-day work week, inspired by our friends at Huddle Up Creative.
When organisations adopt policies that prioritise wellbeing and efficiency, it signals to women and future leaders that their contributions are measured by impact rather than presence.
This isn’t just about shorter hours; it’s about creating equity, flexibility, and opportunity for women to succeed both professionally and personally.
- Our core working days will be Monday to Thursday.
- Team hours: 9am to 4pm AWST on those four days.
- We won’t be available on Fridays (except on event days!)
How This Change Empowers Our Team
Even in an all-female workplace, balancing work, personal life, and professional growth can be challenging. A traditional five-day week can leave little time for rest, reflection, and the creative thinking needed to do our best work.
By moving to a four-day work week with the same pay, we are creating space for our team to recharge, focus, and bring their full energy to every project. This structure promotes wellbeing, reduces burnout, and encourages sustained high performance.
It also allows us to invest more in leadership development and collaboration, giving team members time to pursue learning, mentoring, and strategic thinking that strengthens both individual growth and the impact we have as a team.
For us, this change is not just a benefit – it is a deliberate step toward working smarter, leading with energy, and setting an example for future leaders about what a sustainable, high-performing workplace can look like.
The Evidence Behind the Decision
We didn’t make this change based on intuition alone. Our decision is grounded in rigorous research, particularly from the UK’s large-scale trial involving 61 organisations and some 2,900 employees. Key findings include:
- 39% of employees reported lower stress
- 71% reported lower burnout
- Sick days dropped by 65%
- Employee turnover fell by 57% compared with the previous year
- Average mental health scores increased, anxiety decreased, and positive emotions rose significantly.
- Roughly 60% of participants said they found it easier to juggle work with care responsibilities
- Company revenue increased by an average of 1.4% during the trial, suggesting that productivity was maintained or even improved
- 92% of participating companies expressed an intention to continue the four-day week.
These results come from a collaboration between researchers at the University of Cambridge, Boston College, and the think tank Autonomy, working with the 4 Day Week Global campaign. Sources: Phys.org+1 and producitivityreport.org
Our Commitment to Ongoing Improvement
Implementing a four-day work week is part of our broader commitment to growth, innovation, and equity. We believe that by giving our team more time outside of traditional work, we give them the space to think bigger, create more, and lead with greater energy.
This isn’t just a policy. It is a thoughtful investment in our people and in a future where women (and everyone) have the opportunity to thrive in their careers and their lives.
Want to hear how it’s going?
If you’re curious about how we’re implementing our 4-day week, or want to explore how a similar model could work in your organisation, we’d love to share insights. Reach out and let’s start a conversation.