I tried a 4-day workweek at my company and it failed — for some of my employees

Bjorn Reynolds is CEO and Founder of Safeguard Global, a company that helps companies hire, pay, and manage employees internationally—primarily through employer-of-record, payroll, compliance, and HR services.

As the CEO of a nearly 1,000-person workforce spread across 60 countries, I thought afour-day workweek made sense for my company, so I tried it. And it didn’t work.Leading a globally distributed workforce means I’m constantly thinking about how andwhere people work. In theory, the idea of a four-day workweek was aligned with how ourcompany operated, and it seemed like a natural experiment. Our employees alreadyworked across different time zones, countries, and workweeks, and we’ve long believedpeople should be measured by what they deliver, not by how many hours they spend sittingat a desk.

As the CEO of a nearly 1,000-person workforce spread across 60 countries, I thought afour-day workweek made sense for my company, so I tried it. And it didn’t work.Leading a globally distributed workforce means I’m constantly thinking about how andwhere people work. In theory, the idea of a four-day workweek was aligned with how ourcompany operated, and it seemed like a natural experiment. Our employees alreadyworked across different time zones, countries, and workweeks, and we’ve long believedpeople should be measured by what they deliver, not by how many hours they spend sittingat a desk.

The idea started from a simple premise: Could we give people more time back, create abetter employee experience, and still deliver the same or better outcomes for ourcustomers and the business?

For several employees, that answer was a resounding yes.........

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