Many of you will have seen the coverage about the success of the #4DayWeek trials, and you might find it hard to get your head around. 😕

You’re working in a busy job, for a busy company, and the idea that you could get your work done as well if not better in four days rather than five … well, it might seem like a bit of a stretch. ⛔️

But have a think about all of the times you’ve been in a meeting and wondered why it was necessary, why it was going on so long, and why you even needed to be there? 🕙

Have a think about all of the times you were in the zone, making real progress on something really important, and you get needlessly interrupted by something that turned out to be insignificant… and how long it took you to get back into your flow.⏳️

Think about how many times you’ve felt that the way you do certain things at your company is outdated, wasteful or just not quite as good as it could be, and that there’s a different, better way to do it.💡

What if I was to tell you that reduced working time is all about questioning things, changing things, and creating the environment that allows you to be more productive at work and in turn to make the company you work for more efficient. 👌

That it’s really about giving you more time to focus on what really matters when you’re at work, so that you have more time to focus on what really matters outside of work. ❤️

In 2022, it shouldn’t be about the performance of hard work, working long hours, wearing it as a badge of honor, and sacrificing the things that really matter in your life, but instead about prioritization and the drivers of real results. 🎯

The real measure of high professional standards should be the ability to produce the same quality in less time. 📏

We used to allow professional standards to be defined by the length of time you spent at the office, at the desk or on the clock.

We used to enable those who were prepared to sacrifice their time with family, their work-life balance and their wellbeing for their career to wear it as a badge of honor.

No more.

The future of work is here, and it has no place for performative renditions of what ‘hard work’ looks like.

💪Working smarter is hardcore.

💪Focusing on the drivers of real results rather than the illusion that working long hours equals greater productivity is hardcore.

💪Embracing a change in mindset and culture rather than doubling down on ‘the way we’ve always done things here’ is hardcore.

💪Producing the same work to the same or a higher standard than your competition in less time is hardcore.

💪Finding efficiencies and unlocked potential in your business and giving your employees their time back in return is hardcore.

It’s time for old-school, machismo leadership to be consigned to the dustbin of history.

I’m delighted to share some news with you of a new initiative and partnership I’ve been working on.

I’m teaming up with leading people-first transformation company Curium Solutions Curium Solutions US to establish the world’s first Center of Excellence (CoE) in Work Time Reduction, which we are planning to formally launch in the coming weeks.

Our new CoE will focus on three discrete areas, all geared towards changing the world of work through shorter hours, smarter working, improved performance, and enjoying a greater quality of life.

• Providing bespoke, specialized consulting services, supports, and expert advice for leaders and companies who want to help their organizations and people to work shorter and smarter
• Developing high-tech digital tools, products and software to help organizations and individuals who want to work more efficiently in order to reduce their hours to make change and measure change
• Investing in world-class future of work research and experimentation, with an emphasis on the impact and feasibility of work time reduction

I believe that Curium’s industry-leading expertise in operational excellence, coupled with my experience designing and implementing shorter working week trials alongside hundreds of companies all over the world, can underpin the kind of infrastructure necessary to take the shorter work week movement to the next level.

Curium’s people-first approach aligns with my values, and is evident both in their client work and their organizational culture. They have also clearly demonstrated their ambition to be pioneers rather than passengers in how they promote the concept of the shorter working week to their customers.

Our new CoE will be global in nature, headquartered in Canada. Since moving to Toronto, I’ve got a strong sense of a city that is filled with opportunity – business-friendly, forward-thinking, progressive, and at the cutting edge of technology. This partnership will enable us to tap into this potential for Canada to become a global hub for flexible working, as well as Curium’s existing strong reputation and reach in the UK, US and beyond.

Many businesses are inspired by the principles and practices behind the growing global #4DayWeek movement, but don’t yet feel ready to take the leap due to operational challenges, organizational complexity, or internal politics and bureaucracy.

We want to partner with these companies to help them overcome these issues, and provide support tailored to their specific needs in order to enable them to begin the process of reducing work time.

We will be sharing more information later this month when the CoE is formally launched, so keep your eyes peeled!

In the meantime, if you feel we can support you, if you’re interested in getting involved with what we are building, or you’d just like to learn more, I’d love to hear from you. Please reach out by direct message and let’s start the conversation!