District of Summerland to start 4-day workweek this summer

A four-day workweek.

That’s what the District of Summerland in the B.C. Interior is experimenting with for the next year and a half.

The pilot project will start July 2, and will apply to most municipal hall staff. City hall will be closed every Monday, but will now feature extended hours Tuesday through Friday, from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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“Feedback from customers has been that extended hours would help accommodate their business and personal schedules,” the district said.

“In response, the district and the union collaborated on the concept to see full-time hours compressed into a four-day period, providing a longer workday and extended service.”

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“The customer is our No. 1 priority, and it is my hope that these extended hours make a real difference for our residents and the business community,” said chief administrative officer Graham Statt.

The district will be the first municipal government in the Okanagan to pilot a four-day workweek. Many services will continue as normal, but some will have new schedules.

“I think it’s a great thing that the district is offering this to its employees,” said Emma Hartwick, who works in the finance department at city hall.

“I think having that one extra day on Monday, for myself and for my family, is going to make a huge difference.”

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Statt also hopes the four-day workweek helps attract and retain workers.

“We often can’t pay the same as the private sector,” said Statt. “And small cities like ourselves, we can’t afford the big wage just like some of the larger cities in the area can, so we have the unfortunate experience of losing really high-quality staff sometimes and having that turnover.”

The pilot project will be assessed by the district after 18 months to determine whether to scrap or continue it.

For now, though, employees like Hartwick are prepared to work longer hours each day, with the benefit being a three-day weekend, every weekend for the next year and a half.

“I just think it’ll just make me a happier employee in the long run,” said Hartwick.

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