A U.S. Company With Thousands of Employees Just Adopted a 4-Day Workweek — Here's the Innovative Blueprint Up for Grabs Its staff is saying goodbye to on-camera requirements for virtual meetings too.
By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas
The four-day workweek: It's a dream shared by many U.S. employees facing increasing levels of stress and burnout.
Well, one U.S. business just made it a reality for its staff.
Exos, a company that coaches pro athletes and oversees corporate wellness programs for 25% of the Fortune 100, just launched a four-day workweek and "readiness culture code" to give employees the space to recharge — and excel.
"We can't stop all the inevitable stresses and fires that come with day-to-day life," Exos CEO Sarah Robb O'Hagan says. "But we can help ensure your mind and body are ready to take them on so you can thrive."
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To that end, the company has taken a page out of the pro-athlete training book, implementing a day of "intentional recovery," dubbed "You Do You Fridays."
Exos' new "readiness culture code" serves as a "blueprint" for giving its 3,000 employees the physical, mental and emotional capacity to do their best work.
What does that look like, exactly? Exos encourages employees to use their day off in a way that makes sense for them — that might mean completely dedicating the day to rest, taking up a personal passion or hobby, or spending time with people who re-energize them.
Alternatively, an unstructured Friday is an opportunity to prepare for an important presentation, meet outstanding deadlines and travel home from a work trip without the pressure to be available.
The new code also strives to set boundaries when it comes to communication; employees are encouraged to add time zones and working hours to their email signatures.
Related: New Four-Day Work Week Study Shows Impressive Results
Meeting etiquette is getting an overhaul too. Tuesday and Thursday will be reserved for meetings so that employees can dedicate Monday and Wednesday to uninterrupted work.
And those meetings must have an established purpose and intended outcome, complete with a three-point productivity checklist that addresses the exchange of information, project progress and social connection.
What's more, being on camera for virtual meetings is no longer required, and 25-50 minute meetings will come with a 5-10 minute break while those over 90 minutes will include a 10-15 minute break at the 45-minute mark.
Finally, Exos will establish employee resource groups (ERGs) to support psychological safety, growth and belonging, and special interest groups (SIGs) to foster connection. It will also instate team-recognition protocols and provide internal employee resources to help build its culture of recovery.
Related: Is the 4-Day Work Week Better? Evidence Points to Yes.
And there you have it: the four-day-workweek blueprint it's safe to say most of Corporate America would love to give a whirl.
