TUMWATER, Wash. — Some Tumwater city employees will soon be working a four-day week as part of a new plan the city hopes will improve the workplace while saving taxpayers money.
The option was offered to 133 non-union city employees. Twenty-eight employees accepted by the end of October, or about 21%.
Their new schedules are set to begin in January.
“There’s definitely a level of excitement and nervousness. You know, all the emotions that come with any significant change,” said Tumwater City Administrator Paul Simmons. “But I’m excited to try something different, he said.
There is a trade-off for employees who choose the shorter workweek. They will have to forgo cost-of-living raises for at least two years, as well as part of the raise in the third year. (For example, forgoing a 4% raise this year, 4% next year, and 2% in year three, adding up to the city’s goal of 10% savings on wages for an employee who works 32 hours.)
Simmons said the city has been working on the plan since January as it faced both budget and recruiting challenges.
As a midsized city, Tumwater struggled to compete with salaries offered by larger nearby cities. City leaders began considering a four-day workweek as another way to attract and retain employees.
Simmons said officials looked at similar efforts in San Juan County, Washington, and Golden, Colorado, as they developed Tumwater’s plan.
San Juan County made its four-day workweek permanent this year following a successful two-year trial. The county said the plan saved $2 million over two years.
Simmons said he believes giving employees more time away from work can also benefit them when they are on the job.
“You’re feeling fresh, you operate differently, you’re more creative, you produce more, you produce at a higher level, you are easier to be around, you work more effectively as part of a team,” Simmons said.
“So this is an opportunity where we can create a better working environment for employees and potentially also save money for the taxpayers at the same time,” he said.
Tumwater expects to save about $164,000 through the plan in the first year.
The city plans to see how the new schedule works before potentially expanding the option to new hires. Under that scenario, new employees could choose between working 40 hours a week or 32 hours a week for 10% less salary.
Simmons said he was eligible to take the offer, but as a newer employee with the city, he has decided to keep working 40 hours a week for now.
“At some point I’d like to be able to consider it, but it’s probably not the right time right now,” Simmons said. “Let’s make sure that we’re putting the right systems in place, and perhaps I’ll consider it at a future point,” he said.
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