4-day work week in B.C.? Greens call on province to pilot initiative

With news that a massive study from the U.K. shows a four-day workweek leads to happier and less stressed employees, the BC Greens are calling on the NDP government to pilot a similar program across the province.

BC Greens Leader Sonia Furstenau is calling on the provincial government to look into the program, saying we “should be rethinking what it means to work.”

Speaking with CityNews, Furstenau says pilots like the one she’s calling for, are happening all over the world.

“These pilots are happening and the one in the U.K., the results just came in: 91 per cent of businesses are going to stay with a four-day work week,” she said. “The majority of employees, obviously, reported that they like the four-day work week, but more importantly, they reported that they had better health, better mental health, more time with family, better time with sleep, and more time to contribute to the community.”

Today I am calling on this government to pilot a four-day workweek across the province. 1/ #bcpoli #4DayWorkWeek pic.twitter.com/PglB67tOqq

— Sonia Furstenau (@SoniaFurstenau) February 23, 2023

In a Twitter thread on Thursday, Furstenau says it’s time for British Columbians to have a better work-life balance, adding society must recognize “we can really work to live, as opposed to live to work.”

“We were talking about building back better during the pandemic in 2020. Part of building back better is really recognizing we don’t need people to be working 40 hours a week to produce what they produce, and this is what these pilots keep showing, that a 32-hour work week doesn’t decrease the productivity and can in fact increase it,” she told CityNews, adding people are looking for relief in all forms as they deal with rising costs of living, health care challenges, and burnout.

Citing businesses in the province having trouble keeping employees, while also being challenged by labour shortages, Furstenau says the results from pilot programs across B.C., Canada, and internationally, “prove” that it’s good for businesses and good for people.

“The evidence is clear: workers want a shortened week and businesses face better outcomes for it,” she said.

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Furstenau is calling on the government to build on the successful pilot program frameworks from other jurisdictions and incentivize a four-day work week for businesses through a tax break.

“This approach allows flexibility for employers to figure out what works for them, whether they’re shift workers, small businesses, or working in an office,” she explained in her Twitter thread, noting there is “no one-size-fits-all approach” and that this “allows businesses to adapt in ways that work.”

Working more hours does not mean better work is being done, Furstenau adds.

“The time has come to test a new way of working that fits in the world we want to shape,” she said. “This pilot would be the start of renewing our economy towards better working conditions, well-being, and a healthier life.”

‘Look at the data,’ Furstenau says to skeptics

Not everyone is on board with the idea. Some, including BC Liberal Leader Kevin Falcon, have cited concerns around small businesses and productivity.

However, Furstenau is urging skeptics to look at the data.

“All of these pilot projects that have gone out show that productivity either stays the same or goes up, that revenues actually improve for businesses, and that costs for businesses actually go down with a four-day work week,” she said.

“It’s a failure of imagination to suggest that we just stay with our working week the way it’s been for the last century and a half. When we saw in 2020 a complete transformation of the working world … we were able to work remotely and respond to the conditions of the pandemic. We can do a transformation of work that improves wellbeing, health, and is a benefit for businesses.”

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is also among those with concerns about the potential impact of a mandated four-day work week on small business.

“It may work for some businesses that are in that office setting. However, it’s very impractical for those businesses that require their staff to be there in-person to effectively serve their customers,” said Annie Dormuth, B.C. provincial affairs director for the CFIB.

Dormuth says any additional government funding should go to helping small businesses with their current operations, such as through helping with paid sick days.

“I think there are other avenues to address labour shortages other than implementing or looking at a pilot project using government funding,” she added.

As part of her BC Greens Leadership platform, Furstenau first called for a reduced work week in 2020.

Furstenau says the BC Greens’ caucus team in the legislature has been on a four-day workweek for two years. Through this time, she tells CityNews the party has seen “exceptional retention” of staff, along with other positives such as improved work-life balance and mental health.