The COVID-19 pandemic has pressured leaders throughout each business to reevaluate their organizations to prioritize worker psychological well being and well-being. On the finish of 2021, The Wall Road Journal reported on a survey by the Convention Board that discovered greater than three-quarters of 1,800 U.S. staff had cited considerations akin to stress and burnout as challenges to well-being at work, up 55% from six months earlier.

The dialog round work-life stability is entrance and middle, however how we obtain it’s nonetheless a piece in progress.

One tactic being examined by companies all over the world is the four-day workweek. The success has been well-documented for individuals who began the rollout of a shortened workweek. Outcomes of Iceland’s success from its massive scale rollout made headlines this previous summer season with findings round elevated worker well-being and productiveness. In the meantime, Microsoft Japan noticed a 40% enhance in productiveness following their very own shortened workweek trial. Now within the U.S., companies from Kickstarter to Elephant Ventures are testing the mannequin.

And but, one business we don’t see clamoring to discover the idea is public relations.

Being within the skilled companies business and dealing with journalists who’re up towards a 24/7 information cycle definitely presents just a few challenges for PR execs seeking to make a change for his or her groups. As FischTank PR continues to search out methods to take care of a optimistic firm tradition that prioritizes psychological well being and promotes a powerful work-life stability—all whereas persevering with to provide significant outcomes—we have now rolled out our personal four-day work week program.

As every other group seeking to implement new office advantages, we’re nonetheless studying, and we’re discovering what’s working and what isn’t by checking in with our groups. Listed below are some classes:

1. Rotation is critical to satisfy shopper & journalist wants.

No PR agency can merely shut up store someday per week, each week. Our strategy to media relations is to offer journalists with high quality assets and story concepts which might be each well timed and related. We work with our purchasers to strategically plan their media campaigns and ship highly effective communications methods, and that work doesn’t cease on Fridays. We’ve put a rotation mannequin in place for every shortened work week, enabling crew members to take pleasure in each different Friday off to ensure our purchasers are lined, and that no deadline passes for firm or journalist.

2. Communication throughout groups is important.

Once we polled our company at first of 2022 to evaluation how the 4-day workweek was impacting our groups, we had overwhelming optimistic suggestions. Greater than 82% of our workers mentioned the added Friday off “positively impacted” their work and productiveness. Once we requested crew members to anonymously share any potential negatives they foresee occurring, communication was a central theme. Workers requested having extra open communication between their colleagues to speak by who could be out on which Friday to keep away from feeling pressured to be on-line on what is meant to be their time without work.

This insightful suggestions has allowed us to institute new processes that guarantee our inner conferences finish with a observe on who has the time without work on Friday, and what pressing gadgets others may be looking out for. It’s polling our groups for particulars like this which might be essential to the continued success of how we function effectively.

3. Foster a tradition that promotes psychological well-being.

The rotating Friday schedule is just not the place we cease relating to establishing a optimistic work surroundings. One other easy place to begin is to remind our groups to make use of their PTO. It’s there once they want a psychological well being day, to unplug and to recharge. It’s straightforward to get right into a routine of working from house and never taking off for varied private duties, appointments, or life moments. Our shortened workweek mustn’t and won’t deter any crew member taking their well-deserved break day.

Our strategy is a trial, however we’re pleased with the crew’s response to our efforts to place forth a brand new manner of working. We all know that summer season schedules, shopper bulletins, and pressing media calls will occur on Friday’s. However throughout this distinctive time, we’re hoping to additionally discover methods to maintain our workers blissful, wholesome and engaged.

Ashley Willis is vp of FischTank PR, a communications and advertising and marketing agency in know-how, clear vitality, monetary companies, actual property, skilled companies, and lots of others.

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