'It's just been a win-win': More Maritime municipalities are trying out a 4-day workweek
More Maritime municipalities are testing a four-day workweek to see if working fewer days can help boost workplace morale and productivity.
The Town of Quispamsis in New Brunswick will be piloting its four-day workweek for its employees starting next month.
"The five-day workweek, you might argue, is a bit of an antiqued notion, and why not give it a try and see if we can be just as efficient, as effective, through four days of the week than through five, and I think that we can," said Aaron Kennedy, the acting CAO of the Town of Quispamsis.
The town’s pilot project will run for 24 weeks, beginning May 1 and ending in the middle of October.
"We're excited about the opportunity to see what will unfold," said Kennedy.
"So, we've basically broken up our municipal staff into two teams. One team will work Monday to Thursday, the other team will work Tuesday to Friday, and then we'll flip."
Michelle Child, who works for the Town of Quispamsis, says she's pleased with the pilot project and what it could mean for her.
"I think anybody with a family, especially, I mean, I have three children, so it's going to be nice to have that extra time with them," she said. "I think all around, it's going to work out well."
And the Town of Quispamsis isn't alone. Sackville, N.B., is also considering moving to a four-day workweek.
"I think, sometimes, you need to take a step back and look a little inward at your workforce and lead by example," said Jamie Burke, the CAO of the Town of Sackville.
"Show them that the work they do is important, and I think this is one program we can try and see if it can be a win-win all around."
In Nova Scotia, the Municipality of the District of Guysborough has made its four-day workweek pilot program permanent.
"Honestly, it's been an uplift in the workplace. Our sick leave has fallen dramatically, the sick-leave numbers, and it's just been a win-win," said Municipality of the District of Guysborough CAO Barry Carroll.
Carroll says, while sick leave has gone down, he believes productivity has gone up.
He says the new program has attracted attention from across Canada and even internationally.
"We're done interviews with BBC, we've had some conversations with communities in Scotland, but certainly right across Canada and some in the U.S. have contacted us," he said.
"And I'll tell you, a lot of those come back to us afterward and say we now have the four-day workweek."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.