It looks like our dreams of a 4-day work week could become a reality someday in Ontario. At least, that’s what the province’s Liberal party is saying in hopes of securing votes in next year’s election. Leader Steven Del Duca promises to launch a pilot project that will explore the possibility of a shortened work week in Ontario if he’s elected in June 2022.
The project will “analyze the potential for a four-day work-week” in Ontario, Del Duca said in his Leaders’ Address on Sunday. The goal is to give Ontarians the option to work the same number of hours over a period of 4 days instead of 5.
“Many of you will know it’s been examined in other parts of the world, including New Zealand, Spain, Scotland, Iceland, and elsewhere,” he said. “I want us to understand if it has merit here.”
“We are here on this planet working to live, not living to work,” he added. “And that’s an important distinction that we should never forget.”
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The conversation about the benefits of a 4-day work week has definitely picked up steam recently after a Toronto-based recruitment company said it had a hugely positive impact on their business and employees.
“We started the 4-day work week in 2020 not having any idea what to expect from it or how it would play out. Here’s what we did; we didn’t overthink it. As a result, our profitability and success has doubled 200%,” the company announced on Instagram in July.
“This is the future of work,” they wrote. “If someone asked us if The Leadership Agency would ever go back to a 5-day work week, the answer is simple. No.”
With the freedom to use their extra day off to support their mental and physical health, CEO Jamie Savage told CTV that her 9 employees are more productive, happier, and most importantly, aren’t jumping ship to work for other companies.
If next year’s election works out in the Liberals’ favour, it looks the rest of us might get a chance to experience the benefits for ourselves.
