CEO of Treehouse, Ryan Carson, doesn’t think so. Carson thinks that 4 days a week is more than enough time for his employees to get their work done, thanks to productivity tools like Hipchat and Asana. These tools help keep his teams focused and productive, so they can then enjoy perpetual three day weekends. Not a surprise that employee retention is not an issue that Treehouse struggles with.
Carson says, “You get all day Friday off, instead of pretending like you’re working when you’re not.” He wants his employees to make the most of their ample weekends, because, as he likes to point out, we probably only have about 2000 weekends left.
Some companies have adopted reduced schedules with positive results. Basecamp is a software company that lets employees take Friday off in the summer. Elmejortrato is a search engine that also gives employees their Fridays back, while increasing revenue.
While a four day work week may not be a possibility for everyone, it does reflect the growing trend for employees to put more time and effort into their work life balance. Work time, play time and family time are all important for a well rounded human being. Moreover, we all need time away from the workplace to stay engaged and clear our minds.
Time is precious, no matter how long your weekend is. So it’s important to make sure you can enjoy every moment you spend away from the office. Besides, according to Ryan Carson, you may only have 1,999 weekends left! So make this one a doozy.
