Let’s talk about the four-day workweek. It’s gone from a buzzword to a real movement, and Canada is right in the thick of it. I’ve been following the pilot programs, reading the reports, and talking to people who’ve tried it. Here’s what I’m seeing—what’s working, where it’s catching on, and where it’s still a
tough sell.

Where It’s Working: The Sectors Leading the Way

Knowledge Work, Professional Services, and Tech
If you’re in law, tech, consulting, or any kind of knowledge-based work, the four-day week is more than just possible—it’s thriving. I’ve seen law firms like YLaw in Vancouver and the Ross Firm in Ontario not just keep up, but actually grow. YLaw, for example, saw a 30% jump in revenue and tripled their team size after switching to a four-day week. That’s not a typo. And they didn’t lose a single staff member to a competitor.

Tech companies are loving it too. The pilot programs here in Canada show the same thing: productivity holds steady (or even goes up), burnout drops, and people actually want to stick around. Imagine that—retention as a side effect of giving people their time back.

Non-Profits and Advocacy
This one surprised me: non-profits like Imagine Canada are seeing huge benefits. They cut sick days by 40%, staff well-being shot up by two-thirds, and retention hit 94%. They didn’t just maintain productivity —some teams actually got more done, especially on big-picture projects.

Municipal Governments
A few forward-thinking towns and local governments have jumped in, mostly in admin roles. The feedback? People are happier, and work isn’t slipping through the cracks.

Where It’s Tougher: The Sectors Struggling to Adapt

Customer-Facing and Service Roles
If you’re in retail, hospitality, or food service, it’s a different story. These jobs need someone there, in person, all the time. Cutting a day means either hiring more people (not always feasible) or risking service gaps. It’s a real challenge.

Healthcare
Frontline healthcare—think hospitals and clinics—faces the same issue. You can’t just close the ER on Fridays. Some back-office roles can make it work, but for most, it’s not realistic right now.

Manufacturing and Shift Work
Factories and production lines run on shifts. Trying to squeeze the same output into fewer days often means longer, more exhausting shifts or more hiring. Some places have tried rotating schedules, but it’s not easy, and it doesn’t always stick.

The Real-World Results (And Some Surprises)

• People are happier: Across the board, in the sectors where it works, people report better mental health, more energy, and a much better work-life balance.
• Productivity holds up: Most companies don’t see a drop in output. Some even see gains.
• Retention is up: When people have more time for themselves, they’re less likely to look for another job.
• But… the workdays can get intense: Compressing five days into four isn’t magic. If you don’t cut out the busywork (hello, endless meetings), the pressure can actually go up.

Lessons from Other Countries
Canada isn’t alone here. The UK ran a massive trial—most companies kept the four-day week after it ended. Germany, Portugal, and others are seeing the same pattern: knowledge work adapts well, customer-facing and shift work, not so much.

Final Thoughts
The four-day workweek isn’t a silver bullet, and it’s definitely not for everyone. But in the right industries, with the right approach, it’s delivering real results—happier people, steady (or better) productivity, and teams that want to stick around. The key? Don’t just cram the same work into fewer
days. Streamline, cut the fluff, and trust your people.

If you’re thinking about trying it, start with the roles that have flexibility, get buy-in from your team, and be ready to tweak as you go. The future of work is changing—maybe faster than we think. 

What’s your experience with shorter workweeks? Would love to hear what’s working (or not) in your world.