barefoot’s 4 day week
By Maria Krupa
This week we’ve been featured in Bristol 24/7 as one of the Bristol-based pioneering businesses who implemented a 4-day work week. I became a member of Barefoot in 2020, having moved from a more traditionally structured practice. A 4-day week wasn’t my main motivation for the move but it was a very welcome bonus and, for me, a signifier of a more progressive office culture.
The architectural profession has a reputation for expecting long working hours of its employees. I experienced this in the earlier years of my career, and as much as I value many other aspects of this work, this is something I always struggled with. I was also increasingly aware that it’s very hard, if not impossible, to integrate my work as an architect into my life. Working long days felt increasingly unsustainable and other parts of my life suffered along with my wellbeing, work satisfaction and consequently the quality of my work. Having worked a 4-day week for the last three years I can confidently say that - for me - four days is enough to run projects and that the days I’m working are more focused as a result. Having time for interests, personal projects and leisure outside of work helps me feel more creative and motivated.
Within the Barefoot team we have shared our reflections on the benefits and the drawbacks. Moving to a 4-day week is a lifestyle choice which not everyone willing or can afford to make. It is a collective decision we’ve discussed as a team on multiple occasions. Having to work more efficiently and taking a pay cut are some of the things to navigate.
Long time Barefoot team member Jess says “The four-day week has given me a much better work-life balance - the most noticeable impact is that the ‘work’ side feels like a much less dominant part of life than it used to, making it much more enjoyable when I’m at work as well as making it easier to switch off from during my time off.”
For Martina, “going down to 4/days weeks coincided with me becoming a mum. I spend the extra day with my daughter, it's special extra time for us and I can't imagine not being able to do that. Life and work feel more balanced.”
David believes that working 4 days per week “Allows for more opportunities for a richer lifestyle and more time to take on things which might otherwise be challenging/impossible (e.g. doing up a boat!).”
Our Devon-based Director Rob says that working fewer days gives him a better sense of achieving things outside of work, leaving “more time for pursuing hobbies and interests; outdoor manual work and community engagement, and a sense of having more emotional space for friends and family.”
Founding Director Sam Goss reflects that “working 4 days a week in the business has given me quiet time on a Friday to work on the business; to do more blue sky thinking, to work towards our vision of transforming how people live, be more ethical, and to develop strategies, systems, and come up with ideas for projects.”
Ultimately, we conclude that in addition to benefits to the wellbeing of the team and practice as a whole, there are also benefits to clients, contractors and collaborators in general. Everyone we've ever worked with, or for, has immediately seen the benefits and let us know that they think it’s great, and can see that it’s part of the future that they want to be a part of designing with us!