How a Shorter Work Week Can Create Higher Employee Performance

People and Performance Podcast

In an era where burnout, ‘quiet quitting’ and work-life balance have permeated the conversation around employment, how can employers stand out?

The implementation of a shorter work week, says today's guest, is the most equitable way to strive towards this universal goal of balance and happiness.

Our guest this time is Joe O’Connor, a globally recognized expert in shorter working weeks. Joe leads the Toronto-based Work Time Reduction Centre of Excellence that's focused on how a four-day week might work in the HR field and what it might mean for recruitment, retention and employee happiness.

Joe was also a speaker at DisruptHR Buffalo in April 2024.

Questions for Joe include:

• In terms of higher performance/output, what are some of the key benefits to a shorter work week?
• How does a shorter workweek affect retention and recruitment?
• What are some key obstacles to the four-day week you’ve seen that leaders and/or HR professionals might encounter and how can we best overcome them?
• We all spoke at DisruptHR Buffalo earlier this year. Tell our listeners about your experience and your 5-minute presentation

More About Joe O'Connor

Joe is the Director and Co-founder ofthe world's first Center of Excellence in Work Time Reduction, a new global initiative based in Toronto, Canada, which has been launched in partnership with leading people-first transformation company Curium Solutions.

Previously, as the chief executive officer of 4 Day Week Global, Joe led the design and implementation of four-day week trials all over the world, supporting hundreds of employers and thousands of employees to make the transition to reduced-hour, productivity-focused working in 2021 and 2022.

Joe recently led a research project on work time reduction as a visiting research scholar with Cornell University in New York City. He is now based in Toronto, where he heads up Canadian operations for Curium Solutions in addition to directing the Work Time Reduction CoE.

Joe is also formerly the chairperson of the Four Day Week Ireland campaign, having founded the coalition in2019, where he developed the world's first four-day week pilot program and research project in 2021.

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Talking About Ways To Improve Company Culture and People Performance

The People and Performance Podcast is a show that dives into all things related to raising performance in the working world around us. We investigate how technology and HR processes are inextricably linked to the employee experience and the bottom line.

Chris Bjorling, Co-host

Christopher Bjorling is President at Fidello Inc., a consulting and services firm specializing in improving human performance.

For over 30 years Chris has led Fidello in creating unique talent management solutions. Through the products and services he and his team have created over the years, his organization has helped clients design, develop, implement and integrate talent management processes and systems.

Bill Banham, Co-host

Bill Banham, Publisher at The HR Gazette, Host of the popular HRchat Podcast and Organizer of events such as DisruptHR London.

Bill has worked with lots of business tech and HR-focused brands in the UK and North America including HRreview, TalentCulture, HRmarketer, Sprigg HR, and Team Fitness Tool.

Contact us to learn more!