Saint John to introduce four-day work week, city offices to close on Fridays
The City of Saint John is introducing a four-day compressed work week for most employees, following unanimous approval from city councillors.
The change will take effect Oct. 17 and will see most municipal offices closed Friday through Sunday.
The city says morning and evening hours will be extended at its Customer Service Centre and One Stop Development Shop, Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The current hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Specific municipal services and facilities, including the City Market, recreational locations, public works, transit, and parking enforcement will continue to operate as usual, according to city manager John Collin.
“We’ve gone this way because we’re focused on helping our employees with the best possible work conditions,” says Collin.
The compressed work week plan is part of a one-year pilot project for an unspecified number of employees. Collin says compressed work week policies from around the world were researched beforehand with a focus on employee recruitment and retention.
“The literature is very clear,” says Collin. “Almost everybody without exception has said that it has been beneficial and they wish they would’ve done it years ago. I’m quite optimistic we’ll get the same result.”
Several other four-day trial and pilot projects are reporting success.
The world’s largest UK-based four-day work week experiment, which includes approximately 3,300 workers across 70 different companies, is showing positive results at its halfway point.
The CEO of a Toronto tech company says early-results from their company’s four-day work week trial, which began in June for 500 employees, has shown employees are “clearly happier.”
Four-day work week trials are also underway in Quispamsis, Riverview, and Sackville.
The City of Saint John says people shouldn’t notice any other changes to service, other than different hours at its Customer Service Centre and One Stop Development Shop.
“I think it’s good, but it’s going to be a lot of paperwork to condition people that Friday’s are going to be closed,” says Janice Buckley.
“Most stuff is done online now,” says Amanda Beckham. “And honestly, how often do you go to those offices? Maybe once every 10 years.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.