Business break: She switches to four-day workweek
By Bob Shallit -
Published 12:05 pm PDT Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Folsom advertising exec Rochelle Barcellona is giving her employees an extra 52 days off per year.

The catch? They must work an additional two hours per day during the week.

In an earth-friendly business move, Barcellona recently switched to a four-day workweek, with employees putting in 10-hour days Monday through Thursday.

Getting a three-day weekend is a “nice benefit” for Barcellona Inc.’s nine employees, she says. But the main incentive is to “lessen our (environmental) impact” by eliminating the office commute one day a week and reducing office energy costs by closing every Friday.

Barcellona says she researched the subject before announcing the change to staffers last week. She found plenty of other companies nationwide that have taken similar steps, but not many locally.

According to her research, employees at companies with 10-hour days are “actually more productive” than those on standard shifts.

The company’s clients also supported the change, she reports, especially when told that one employee would be on call each Friday to handle any business emergencies.

Who gets that duty?

“Me,” says the company CEO.

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