THE REALITY OF A 4 DAY WORK WEEK: HOW A BRUMMIE MARKETING AGENCY MAKES IT A SUCCESS | TRIBERA
THE REALITY OF A 4-DAY WORK WEEK: HOW WE MAKE IT A SUCCESS
For many, the four-day work week sounds like the ultimate workplace perk: more balance, less burnout, and an extra day to live your life.
At Tribera, we were one of the first companies in the Midlands to move to a shorter week back in 2022 - offering the team reduced working hours without any loss of pay. And while it’s brought huge benefits, we’ve also learned that real success takes flexibility, honesty, and a lot of fine-tuning.
Tribera Co-Founder, Fran Nolan, shares how we maintain exceptional client results, ensure productivity remains high, and why the key to a shorter week isn’t just about taking Fridays off.
1. WHY WE STARTED THE 4-DAY WORK WEEK
“From day one, we’ve always believed work should fit around life - not the other way around,” says Fran. “Our culture has always encouraged flexibility. We offered hybrid working long before the pandemic, and people could always go to the gym mid-morning, pick up their kids, or take time out when they needed it.”
The four-day work week felt like a natural next step. “The traditional 40-hour work week was popularised by Henry Ford and built for factory work in the 1920s - not a creative agency operating nearly a century later,” Fran adds. “It doesn’t fit how modern businesses or people live today. A creative business should think differently and challenge convention – and that applies to how we work, too.”
2. THE SHORTENED WORK WEEK BENEFITS
After a successful four-day week trial, the impact was clear - the team felt more energised, creativity increased, and productivity soared.
“Naturally, our biggest concern was how the change would impact our clients. But our results actually improved during that period – in fact, coverage from the PR team doubled,” recalls Fran. “People were sharper, happier, and genuinely more motivated. Having that extra breathing space meant we all came back on Monday ready to go again.”
And clients noticed too. As the trial continued, the agency continued delivering award-winning campaigns, proving that a shortened work week could absolutely work in a fast-paced, client-led environment.
3. IT’S NOT ALWAYS EASY – THE CHALLENGES OF WORKING REDUCED HOURS
But after a year, the reality of agency life set in. “We quickly realised we don’t exist in a bubble,” Fran explains. “Clients don’t stop needing support on Fridays, and if we can’t be responsive, that affects trust.”
Responsiveness is one of the top metrics we look at in our client surveys. “It’s something we take seriously. We’d soon be out of business if we couldn’t speak to clients when they need us on a Friday,” says Fran.
So Tribera adapted. Instead of a fixed four days, the agency now operates on a 32-hour flexible week that can be worked however the team sees fit. “The hours are the same, but people can choose how and when they work them. It’s still a shorter week - just smarter.”
4. EMBRACING FLEXIBLE WORKING
The shift gave the team a whole new level of freedom. “Some people like to start early and be done in time for the school run each day, others ease into the morning and make up the hours at another time, and both work great,” says Fran.
Fran also shared how challenging social norms has been an unexpected hurdle. “People were so conditioned by rigid structures that they needed a bit of encouragement to really embrace the flexibility we were offering. Even when we operated on longer working hours, people could have worked Monday to Thursday – but it wasn’t until we officially introduced the four-day work week that people genuinely felt permission to step away from their laptop.”
She admits she leads by example. “I don’t start work until after the school run at around 10am, and I’ll often make up time later in the evening or on a Friday. I’m probably the most flexible worker at Tribera!”
5. MAINTAINING A WORK LIFE BALANCE
The hardest part of any four-day work week is boundaries. “We wanted to give people time back, not a chance to fill Fridays with freelance work elsewhere,” Fran says. “That goes against what we were trying to achieve - which is rest, creativity, and headspace.”
Work-life balance isn’t always perfect, but that’s okay. “We’re realistic, we know sometimes work will spill over. There’s a real understanding within the team that it goes both ways: flexibility for employees, and flexibility for clients. That’s the balance that works long-term.”
6. LESSONS WE’VE LEARNED
Moving to a four-day work week has been a huge learning curve. “It takes communication, trust, and constant tweaking. Our ethos runs through every process and decision – for example, we’ve even changed how we onboard people, so new hires understand the responsibility that comes with the freedom,” Fran reflects.
But she’s proud of where the team has landed. “The 32-hour model is the sweet spot. It gives people breathing space, but still keeps us accessible, collaborative, and client focused. For us, that’s what modern working should look like.”
7. THE FUTURE OF THE WORK WEEK
As conversations around flexible work continue, Tribera hopes more companies that offer a four-day work week will share their experiences honestly - both the highs and the challenges.
“Work-life balance is about more than time off,” Fran concludes. “It’s about trust, autonomy, and respecting that everyone’s version of balance looks different. We’ve built something that works for us, and that works for clients too – which is often a myth that prevents businesses from trying it out.”
8. LOOKING AHEAD
Nearly 100 years after Henry Ford standardised the 40-hour week, the world has changed - and so have we.
At Tribera, flexibility isn’t just a perk, it’s part of our culture. And as Fran says, “The rest of the world might not have caught up yet, but we’ll keep leading the way, one honest conversation at a time.”
WORK WITH AN AGENCY THAT WORKS SMARTER, NOT LONGER
At Tribera, our flexible working approach means we’re focused, creative, and fully committed to our clients - not tied to the outdated 9-to-5. If you want to work with a team that delivers brilliant results while embracing a smarter way of working, let’s talk. Get in touch today.
