Claxon embraces four-day work week – ‘clients are experiencing invigorated teams’

Integrated agency Claxon will implement a permanent four-day work week with immediate effect, after a trial in late 2024 to condense the standard 38-hour work week into four slightly longer days.

The three-month trial saw the agency condense its regular work week into slightly longer days, Monday through Thursday, allowing the entire team Fridays off.

“The results exceeded our expectations,” said founder and CEO Daniel Willis.

“Not only did we maintain our high standards, the entire team flourished, and clients are also experiencing new and invigorated teams."

Before mandating the change to a four-day week, Willis surveyed all staff and asked for their genuine experiences, positive negative or otherwise and says he was blown away by the positive impact it had on their professional and personal lives.

Unlike other versions of a four-day week, Claxon has not reduced employee hours, nor salaries, and says resourcing availability remains the same across the entire agency. While Friday is no longer a standard workday, team will remain available for clients should the need arise.

Willis said he had personally notified all clients and offered them a direct line to share any concerns or issues about the four-day mandate. None, however, had expressed concern.

“Not only were there no client issues, but many commented to team members during the trial that everyone seemed to be happier and more dialled in.”

He said a secondary benefit had been its drawcard for new talent. Since the trial began, Claxon has advertised four new roles, with 50% of cover letters referencing the four-day work week as a key attraction.

In addition to the four-day week, Claxon has also embraced a hybrid work model, allowing staff to work two days in the office and now two days remotely, alongside flex time options that cater to diverse schedules. But it is the four-day week innovation that has proved to be a winner for staff and clients alike.

“There seems to be a belief in agency-world that four-day weeks don’t work – clients won’t be accepting, and that it just doesn’t ‘fit’. Well, I can confidently say that’s incorrect. If a highly collaborative, integrated and high-performance team like Claxon can do it, any agency can make it work.

“I know that there have been a couple of other brave founders who run on a nine-day fortnight, but the reality is team members ultimately end up with much more work to do when they return as the work has continued in their absence. Having a whole of agency four-day week eliminates this and truly allows team members to switch off.”