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
Article reuse guidelines:
sagepub.com/journals-permissions
DOI: 10.1177/0160323X221115358
journals.sagepub.com/home/slg
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
To continue reading
Request your trial