Small Town, Short Work Week: Evaluating the Effects of a Compressed Work Week Pilot in Zorra, Ontario, Canada

• Author: Zachary Spicer,Joseph Lyons
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0160323X221115358
• Published date: 01 March 2023
• Date: 01 March 2023
• Subject Matter: Field Notes

https://doi.org/

State and Local Government Review

2023, Vol. 55(1) 73 –81

© The Author(s) 2022

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DOI: 10.1177/0160323X221115358

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Field Notes

Small Town, Short Work Week:

Evaluating the Effects of a

Compressed Work Week Pilot

in Zorra, Ontario, Canada

Zachary Spicer

1

and Joseph Lyons

2

Abstract

On September 1, 2020, the Township of Zorra, Ontario, Canada began a compressed work week

pilot project designed to add f‌lexibility for its employees in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Off‌ice-based employees who opted into the pilot were given either Monday or Friday off from work

and then worked longer shifts for the four remaining days. This f‌ield note provides information on

the program’s design and implementation and reports on the f‌indings of pre- and post-pilot surveys

designed to gauge attitudes of workers toward the compressed work week. Results indicate that the

pilot was received positively and managed to avoid concerns typically associated with compressed

work weeks, namely increased fatigue and staff‌ing challenges. In addition to the evaluation of the

pilot, we also provide insight into how organizational scale can aid in the development and design

of public sector workplace innovations.

Keywords

compressed work week, workforce innovation, public sector innovation, Canada

Introduction

Many workplaces had to quickly shift to

remote environments during the COVID-19

pandemic. This shift demonstrated that f‌lexi-

ble work arrangements could be successful,

bringing benef‌its to employers and employees

alike. Government workplaces were no differ-

ent. This f‌ield note explores one such work-

place, the Township of Zorra, Ontario,

Canada. In the midst of the pandemic, Zorra

embarked on a compressed work week pilot

that saw employees work the same hours

over four days that they used to work over

f‌ive. Zorra’s pilot was well received by staff

and politicians and could be emulated by

other jurisdictions.

While the Township of Zorra made some

immediate and temporary workplace changes

in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic,

its compressed work week is a proactive effort

to provide a better work-life balance for staff

on a go forward basis. It was hoped that

moving to a four-day work week would

enhance workplace satisfaction and motivation,

1

York University, Toronto, Canada

2

University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario,Canada

Corresponding Author:

Zachary Spicer, York University, 4700 Keele Street,

Toronto M3J 1P3, Canada.

Email: zspicer@yorku.ca