Springwater Township's staff pilot four-day work-week
The Township of Springwater will participate in a pilot project shifting all of its 75 full-time employees to a four-day work-week.
The four-day week will begin on April 25, with staff split into two teams.
One team will work Monday to Thursday, the other Tuesday to Friday. Each team working mainly 10-hour shifts.
Related Article: This Ontario township is launching a 4-day work week pilot project
"We've looked at a couple of other municipalities in Ontario who have been able to implement a similar project, and the Township of Springwater wants to put ourselves on the map, and this is one way we feel we can do so," said Springwater's CEO Jeff Schmidt.
In a survey, 90 per cent of staff revealed they would like a flexible work arrangement.
Katy Nary is a township employee who voted in favour of the change. "I love it because I'm going to have more time to spend with my family, and I think it will really give me more time to balance my life and my work so I can enjoy work as much as I enjoy my life."
Residents will benefit from the compressed work-week as well, with access to town hall increasing by an hour per day because of the longer shifts.
The Township said the new working schedules wouldn't impact the taxpayer's wallets.
CTV News app sign-up: Breaking news alerts and top stories delivered right to you
Springwater Township's mayor noted several potential long-term benefits to the changes.
"As many of you would know, resources are limited now, and the completion for those resources is tight, is tough. It's tough to fill positions with good, qualified people, so if you are innovative in your human resource policies, then people pay attention and are attracted to your organization."
Mayor Don Allen said he hoped the move would encourage highly skilled people to future job openings.
The Township will re-evaluate the new four-day work-week project in five months and then determine what changes will be made or if it will move ahead with it permanently.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.