4-Day Workweek in Construction: Pros, Cons, Implementation

What Is a Four-Day Workweek in Construction?

A four-day workweek in construction means employees complete their weekly work hours in four days, usually by working four 10-hour shifts.

This construction industry trend reduces the number of working days without cutting total hours or pay, offering longer weekends.

On-site activity continues smoothly through team rotation or staggered schedules.

Why Do Construction Companies Consider Four-Day Workweeks?

Companies are starting to rethink traditional work schedules in an attempt to adapt to the changing workforce expectations and operational demands in the construction sector, such as:

• Younger generations expect flexibility and are more likely to join companies that offer progressive scheduling options that respect personal time and mental health.

• Project timelines benefit from better planning, especially when construction workers rotate or stagger across the week, allowing for smoother workflows and fewer delays.

• Longer hours allow for uninterrupted work, which helps reduce idle time and maintains job site productivity throughout the day.

• Fewer commuting days help workers save time and money, enhancing morale and team loyalty over time.

Now, let’s take a closer look at other advantages this change can bring.

What Are the Pros of a Four-Day Workweek in Construction?

The four-day week can offer real value if you adopt it thoughtfully. 

Here are several key benefits that support construction team performance and business outcomes:

• Employee focus tends to improve, as longer shifts allow crews to complete more work with fewer interruptions.

• Extended weekends increase retention by promoting a healthy work-life balance that prevents burnout and keeps workers motivated.

• Construction site setup time decreases, with fewer total days spent on setting up equipment, organizing materials, and transitioning between tasks.

• Team dynamics often improve, as the schedule promotes better planning and clearer communication over fewer but more impactful days.

• Your company’s reputation can improve when you offer a four-day workweek, as it demonstrates innovation and respect for worker well-being, which resonates with construction professionals.

Despite these outstanding benefits, shorter working weeks also have downsides.

What Are the Cons of a Four-Day Workweek in Construction?

While a four-day workweek offers several appealing benefits, it also introduces challenges you must carefully evaluate before deciding whether to adopt, such as:

• Longer days can increase fatigue, especially during physically demanding tasks, resulting in reduced focus or greater safety concerns.

• Scheduling around weather becomes more difficult, since losing a day to rain or extreme heat leaves fewer days in the week to recover lost time.

• Customer service may be affected, particularly if clients expect five-day workweek availability and encounter delays in communication or construction project updates.

• Coordinating with subcontractors can become complex, as not all partners or vendors follow the same schedule, potentially causing job misalignment.

• Permits and inspections might face delays, since local authorities typically operate on traditional business days, limiting access to necessary approvals on days off.

However, you can still implement a successful four-day week.

Let’s explore the different work schedule models you can opt for.

Four-Day Workweek Models in Construction

You can approach a four-day workweek in several ways, depending on the size of your team, the type of construction projects, and your business goals.

Consider one of these three effective models:

The 4/10 schedule

Assign four ten-hour days to all employees, giving everyone the same day off, typically on Friday, to reduce operating costs and facilitate construction job planning.

Staggered shifts

Assign different crews to fixed, overlapping four-day schedules that stay the same each week. For example, Team A works Monday to Thursday, while Team B works Wednesday to Saturday. This setup keeps your job site active for more than four days a week, even though no one works more than four days themselves. Each team consistently gets the same three days off, but the company benefits from five or six days of ongoing labor.

Rotating schedules

Rotating schedules move crews through different four-day workweeks on a recurring basis. For instance, a team might work Monday to Thursday one week, then Tuesday to Friday the next. Over time, this model rotates the most- and least-desirable days off (Fridays and Mondays) fairly among all employees. Rotating schedules help you balance workloads and avoid assigning the same team to the busiest or slowest shifts every week.

Each of these models balances efficiency, coverage, and flexibility, yet proper implementation is key.

How to Implement a Four-Day Workweek in Your Construction Company

Implementing a four-day workweek in your company requires a structured approach that balances business goals, employee well-being, and construction project demands.

The following steps provide a roadmap to guide you through this transition.

Let’s take a closer look at each step.

1. Prepare your company

Start by evaluating your business operations and determining how a four-day workweek would affect projects, crew schedules, and customer expectations. Review current workflows and identify tasks that can shift to longer workdays without disrupting productivity or safety. 

Consult with key stakeholders, project managers, and administrative staff to identify any concerns early on and develop potential solutions.

Finally, set clear goals to measure success effectively. For example, if your goal is to maintain project timelines under the new schedule, you can track average project duration before and after implementation to ensure efficiency.

2. Choose the right model

Select a schedule structure that best suits your company's size, workforce availability, and project complexity. The key is to find a system that keeps workflows efficient without exhausting your teams or overburdening management.

Determine whether you need continuous coverage on construction sites or if certain days can remain idle. Smaller crews can adopt a simple 4/10 schedule, while larger operations might consider staggered or rotating shifts to avoid project delays. 

3. Inform your crew

Clear communication can make or break successful implementation. Prepare a plan to explain the transition to your teams, starting with the reasoning behind the change. 

Share how this business model can improve work conditions and what the company expects in return. Use toolbox talks, internal memos, and one-on-one meetings to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Clearly communicate the new schedule, shift expectations, and how the company is going to handle time off, emergencies, or delays. Seek feedback and keep communication channels open to make workers feel heard and included in the process.

4. Implement gradually and stay flexible

Begin with a pilot program to test the new schedule. Choose a project or department where you can apply the four-day workweek without major disruption. Track performance, morale, and any operational challenges that arise. 

Remember that what works well for one crew might need adjustment for another, so remain flexible. Use this test period to optimize shift timing, job site coverage, and communication. 

This gradual implementation helps you identify problems early and gives your teams time to adapt without compromising project deadlines.

5. Use technology to streamline the process

ServiceTitan’s Construction Management Software offers a suite of tools designed to support operational efficiency, crew management, and profitability, making the implementation of four-day weeks far more manageable.

Simplify scheduling

ServiceTitan’s Service Scheduling Software allows you to assign jobs, track crews, and adjust schedules in real time. Using the calendar view and drag-and-drop functionality, you can efficiently manage rotating or staggered teams and avoid bottlenecks caused by overlapping tasks or reduced construction worker availability.

Keep time accurate and accountable

ServiceTitan’s Contractor Payroll Software automatically tracks drive time, wrench time, vendor runs, and overtime, reducing potential timesheet or payroll errors caused by the shift in schedule. Construction workers can digitally review and sign off on their timesheets at the end of each pay period using the ServiceTitan mobile app, increasing accountability and transparency.

The payroll data connects directly with job costing tools, allowing you to monitor crew hours in real time and understand how shorter working weeks impact profitability as the project progresses. Use ServiceTitan’s Labor Rate Calculator to make sure your wage structures remain in sync with the new schedule.

Improve project management

Staying organized is non-negotiable when implementing flexible working schedules. ServiceTitan’s Project Management Software creates a centralized digital portfolio for each project, allowing your team to access all essential information from one place. This feature reduces miscommunication and delays, especially when working staggered or rotating shifts.

Project managers gain real-time visibility into each line item’s performance, helping them track labor, materials, and budget use throughout the project lifecycle. 

The Task Management feature enables you to assign, monitor, and adjust work on the fly, keeping projects on schedule, even with one fewer day per week to complete them.

This detailed project overview reduces unexpected setbacks that could otherwise impact client relationships or construction payments.

Turn job data into action

ServiceTitan’s Field Reporting Software provides valuable insights into the KPIs that matter most to your operations, such as hours worked per project, trends, and the revenue generated under the four-day schedule.

This data lets you make informed decisions to protect your construction profit margin.

Next, let’s analyze a real-life example of a four-day workweek implementation.

Are Any Construction Companies Implementing a Four-Day Workweek?

Yes, a few construction companies worldwide have embraced the four-day workweek and are seeing positive outcomes. Here are two noteworthy examples:

• Tungsten Structures, a structural engineering firm in Australia, launched a phased initiative called the ‘108TEN’ model. Its goal was to reach 100 percent productivity in just 80 percent of the time, without cutting pay. 

The company maintained service continuity by introducing ‘client coverage days.’ Each Friday, a different engineer is assigned to be available for urgent issues, site inspections, and client communications. This model ensures customers get the support they need at all times, while engineers only have to work one five-day week every few months.

As they progressed through the six phases, workforce productivity reached nearly 97 percent, with no drop in client satisfaction or project delivery.

• LCL Excavation in Canada shifted to a four-day workweek in 2018. Crews work Monday through Thursday. Fridays became optional buffer days, mainly used to make up time lost to poor weather. This change increased productivity, improved employee satisfaction, and created a more positive work environment.

Over to You

The four-day workweek allows construction companies to improve productivity, attract talent, and boost morale without sacrificing project deadlines.

Success depends on choosing the right schedule model, staying flexible, and using versatile construction management software, like ServiceTitan, to facilitate the process and track progress.

ServiceTitan provides construction management software that helps contractors run more efficiently on any schedule. This platform offers features like smart scheduling, real-time project tracking, and automated payroll, allowing construction companies to manage jobs, teams, and profitability all in one place.