4-day workweek boosts job satisfaction, work-life balance for nurse leaders

Editor's Note

A pilot 4-day workweek program improved job satisfaction, work-life balance, and confidence among nurse leaders at Fox Chase Cancer Center, according to a March 3 report in Healio. The initiative, implemented in 2021, showed sustained benefits over time, suggesting alternative scheduling models could help mitigate burnout and improve nurse leadership retention.

The study, published in Nursing Economic$, evaluated the program’s impact through pre- and post-implementation surveys of 43 nurse directors, managers, and assistant nurse managers, Healio reports. Before the program, only 28% of respondents reported being satisfied with their work-life balance, while 78% experienced guilt when taking time off. Two-thirds worked more than 10 hours per day. However, 73% believed a 4-day workweek could improve their satisfaction.

Three months after implementation, respondents reported improvements in job satisfaction, work-life balance, and reduced guilt over time off. These trends continued at the 15-month mark, with survey results showing the following:

• 6% increase in overall job satisfaction
• 45% increase in work-life balance satisfaction
• 52% reduction in guilt for taking time off
• 36% increase in confidence in unit operations during their absence
• 1% improvement in the number of nurse leaders working more than 10 hours per day

As detailed in the article, nurse managers adjusted to the condensed schedule by becoming more productive within their four days while maintaining flexibility for remote availability. The program also played a role in leadership recruitment, as some candidates cited the 4-day workweek as a key reason for pursuing nurse manager roles.