ThredUp built its business around finding a good fit through second chances, and the same idea is applied to employee scheduling. James Reinhart introduced a four-day workweek during the pandemic after observing that employees with full control over schedules produced more and showed higher retention. When companies moved back toward five-day workweeks, Reinhart made the four-day schedule permanent. He argues that this approach helps attract top talent and provides a competitive advantage. Malissa Clark cites research from psychometrically rigorous trials across multiple companies, reporting that well-being metrics increased and burnout concerns were not supported.
"Finding the perfect pair of jeans requires patience and a willingness to try things that don't always fit. ThredUp has built an entire business around that idea, giving people a second shot at finding what works, and a guilt-free way to let go of what doesn't. And like a good pair of jeans, the same logic applies to making sure your employees are a good fit and are handled with care."
"When he saw what happened after he gave his employees a four-day work week-satisfaction, retention, and creativity all skyrocketed-he didn't overthink it. A good fit makes the jeans worth hanging onto. "It was a top-level decision," the ThredUp co-founder and CEO said while making the case at Fortune's Workplace Innovation Summit in Atlanta on Tuesday, speaking on a panel titled "Burnout Is Breaking Work" moderated by Fortune's Indrani Sen. "We're not going back.""
"Reinhart introduced the four-day workweek during the pandemic after noticing that when employees had full control over their schedules, productivity exploded and, he said, typical retention metrics went "through the roof." So, when companies answered calls to return to the office as the pandemic eased, Reinhart decided the four-day workweek would become a permanent fixture for the company."
"Malissa Clark, a professor of psychology at the University of Georgia and author of "Never Not Working," has data to back up Reinhart's observations. She pointed to research conducted through the four-day workweek global movement-which was run in psychometrically rigorous trials across multiple companies-found all of a company's fears about a four-day workweek may very well be unfounded. "All of the well-being metrics were going up, burnout was going do"
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