Work Time Reduction

Happy Holidays from all of us at Work Time Reduction. May 2025 bring you time to do more of the things you love. 💫

“Well before generative AI burst onto the scene, our team at Work Time Reduction was working with organizations to use technology to streamline administrative processes and automate repetitive tasks in order to unlock work time reduction.” AI is another powerful tool in the arsenal of organizations, teams, and individuals, which has substantially increased the potential to work less and get more done. In the next 5-10 years, the scope of this opportunity will exponentially increase as the technology advances and we believe the adoption of shorter workweek models is likely to increase with it. Full interview with Joe O'Connor for Innovation & Tech Today linked below.

Big news from Japan! Starting in April, Tokyo Metropolitan government employees can choose a three-day weekend every week. This initiative aims to tackle record-low fertility rates and a rapidly aging population. 👩🍼 Governor Yuriko Koike explains: "We will continue to review work styles flexibly to ensure that women do not have to sacrifice their careers due to life events such as childbirth or child-rearing." Additionally, parents with young children can opt for shorter workdays by exchanging a portion of their salary - a step toward better work-life balance. While not yet a gold standard for reduced work time, these policies mark real progress in a country where overwork has been the norm for decades. From Tokyo to Toronto, Helsinki to Hong Kong, the world is shifting. The future isn’t about more work - it’s about better work. What do you think?

What’s wrong with the standard 5-day, 40-hour work week anyway? Grace Tallon talks to Bill Banham on the latest The HR Gazette podcast about the growing interest in shorter workweeks. Podcast link in the comments below.

More and more companies are adopting different models of Work Time Reduction. Our CEO Joe O'Connor speaks to Mark Edgar in a recent episode of the #foHRsight podcast about why we are seeing increased interest in shorter workweeks. Full podcast link in comments.

We’re on a mission to change the way the world works. Are you ready? Find out ⬇ Take the Work Time Reduction assessment and our team of experts will assess your readiness. Start your journey to a shorter workweek today. ⬇ https://lnkd.in/e_ax8Zvq #ItsAboutTime #WorkTimeReduction #ShorterWorkWeek #4DayWeek

Think a shorter workweek means cramming five days into four? Think again. Real Work Time Reduction isn’t about grinding harder or faster - it’s about rethinking everything. It’s a radical shift: Streamlining processes Restructuring operations Focusing on what truly matters When done right, reducing work time creates balance, sustainability, and better results for employees and businesses alike. But try to force the same workload into fewer days? That’s just burnout dressed up as progress.

Only 11% of respondents are in favor of keeping the standard, five-day, 40-hour workweek in place. In a recent FlexJobs survey, the vast majority (89%) favored a shorter workweek, flexible scheduling or an outcomes-based work model. Overwork is a pervasive problem for today's workforce. 😪 28% of employees experience a daily pressure to overwork 😪 An additional 30% feel pressured either weekly or a few times a month Some of the primary drivers of this are aligned with the big issues we seek to address in our Work Time Reduction programs. 🚨 34% struggle with excessive workloads 🚨 31% experience unrealistic expectations 🚨 24% suffer from blurred or non-existent work-life boundaries This phenomenon has negative consequences for the individual: 🛌 Difficulty sleeping (72%) 🍟 Unhealthy eating habits (54%) It's also damaging for organizations, leading to many employees exhibiting some of the prime symptoms of burnout: 🙈 Avoidance of tasks (47%) ❓ Difficulty making decisions (44%) 🤕 Physical affects like headaches (46%) 🗣️ Negative self-talk or rumination (38%) It's never been clearer that overwork is both a crisis for employees and a significant pain point for organizations, and there's an insatiable appetite for change and action. 🎬 Contact Work Time Reduction to learn how you and your company can start working smarter not harder: https://lnkd.in/es2PH4Mb Full survey linked in comments. 🔗

Big announcement incoming 👀

The future might well be now, but it's also still being contested by the past. Our clients and partners are choosing one direction with conviction. ⏩ Motivating over monitoring ✅ Efficiency over effort ✅ Intentionality over intensity ✅ Incentivizing outcomes instead of interrogating activity. Designing for sustainable peak performance based on science, not for old-school "commitment" defined by hours and location, based on romanticized ideas of what work used to be. Focusing on WHAT and HOW ✅ not WHEN and WHERE ❌ The old way might be an easier path. But the new way - flexibility, autonomy, and outcomes-based performance accountability - is the right one. Smartcore, not hardcore. Who's joining us on the winning path, to a future of better work and balanced lives?