Company Culture
Time for a
change
Richard Dodgson, founder &
creative director of Timebased
Events, on why the event
industry is perfectly fit for the
four-day week
F
“A four-day working
week does not
mean that a
company simply
ceases operations
on a Friday”
or any industry, employee wellbeing should
be firmly integrated into a company’s
culture. The traditional nine-to-five, five-day
working week has remained firmly in place
since the Industrial Revolution and it’s time
that businesses modernise in line with the
changing demands of life. Some companies have
implemented a four-day week and it’s starting to
gain popularity, with a recent survey revealing
that 71 per cent believe the nation would be
happier with a four-day week.
At Timebased, we offer an Alternative Hours
Scheme, which gives employees the flexibility
to take a four-day week while making sure that
the office is still manned five days a week. The
implementation of a four-day working week has
had profoundly positive effects. It’s very easy to
work long hours in the events industry, and this
can have negative ramifications for mental and
physical health. To combat any personal strain,
it’s imperative for everybody to establish a good
work-life balance and as an employer it’s our
responsibility to encourage this and be creative in
our approach to retain happy, healthy staff.
By giving our employees the opportunity
to come to work refreshed, there has been a
noticeably positive impact on their morale. This
high morale has been reflected in the events that
we produce and in turn has brought in more
business for the company.
The extra day allows our staff to spend quality
time with family and friends, to learn new
hobbies, to enjoy what the UK has to offer, or to
simply relax and rejuvenate. Meaning they return
to work well-rested with improved efficiency and
focus, working at an optimal pace. Benefits such
as these are often valued over a higher salary and
as a result a company may find it has a higher
retention of staff who are loyal to the company
with increased levels of job satisfaction.
It’s also important to get staff out of the office
environment. We have staff ‘away days’ which
can be used as an opportunity for both training
and team bonding; this year, we took our team to
Malaga for four activity-packed days. A team who
trust and respect each other is far more likely to
achieve good results than one that doesn’t know
each other. By implementing these strategies we
have been able to ensure employees’ wellbeing is
our top priority and we have created a company
culture that we are proud of.
It must be noted that a four-day working
week does not mean that a company simply
ceases operations on a Friday. Instead, it’s about
increasing productivity and giving employees
the chance to get all their work done in four
days, instead of five. Some businesses have
implemented a shift system where employees have
rotating days off each week in return for increased
working hours. This means that their customers
benefit from longer opening hours as well as the
office being open for the traditional five days.
Ultimately, it’s about understanding how you
can truly optimise your workforce.
Supporting your workforce to make them
happier, more creative and motivated is achieved
through listening to them and providing
opportunities to improve their personal well-
being. The events industry can be a straining and
high-pressured environment for employees and
so offering a four-day week can make a world of
difference.
May — 53