This Washington county is moving to a 32-hour work week

Washington state's San Juan County is moving to a 32-hour work week, beginning Oct. 1, 2023.

“The 32-hour work week is both fiscally responsible and socially responsive. It takes into account a full-time, working islander’s way of life,” San Juan County Council Chair Cindy Wolf said in a statement. “This change brings the opportunity to spend more concentrated time with family, volunteer locally, travel, schedule medical appointments, and do all the many things which are important to personal and community well-being without interrupting workflow.”

The county argues that the move is needed to help with employee wellness, and to maintain the county's operations under its current budget.

In a statement, County Manager Mike Thomas said that, “The workplace of today is not the same workplace that existed even two years ago," adding that modern employers are finding ways to attract and retain employees. Such ways include offering remote work and compensation packages.

Thomas also said that, “Asking the voters to increase taxes in the current economic climate is the path of last resort." Instead, the county has opted to take other measures, starting with a 32-hour work week.

According to a county spokesperson, the idea of a 32-hour workweek originated when officials were negotiating a contract with employees' union and had to balance raises with the county budget.

“There's no way that we could have come to the table and said we're just going to hand out 30% increases and then, let's blow the budget up,” said Angie Baird, the county’s director of human resources.

San Juan County covers Lopez Island, Orcas Island, San Juan Island, and Shaw Island. Its population is nearly 18,700, according to the most recent census data.

San Juan County's 32-hour work week

Employee salaries will not be altered. In fact, the county's slogan for the move is "100% pay / 80% hours / 100% Productivity."

A county spokesperson said that departments have been given the flexibility to manage the change as they see fit. Officials currently expects that most departments will stick with a five-day schedule, with staggered shifts. Some departments may choose to close one day per week, and others may spread 32 hours over five days. Notices will be provided for any changes.

Emergency services, such as the sheriff's office, and departments like public works will not be affected.

San Juan County will conduct periodic reviews to monitor productivity under the 32-hour week. It will also be tracking recruitment, retention, and employee wellness.

The County Council approved the 32-hour schedule on Aug. 22, just a few days after the county's union gave the plan a thumbs up.

A six-month review of the work week is slated for April 2024, as well as a one-year review next October. Another review will take place in 2025, at the end of the county's employee contract.

San Juan County's big picture

While the move to a 32-hour work week is a considerable change in and of itself, it is part of a suite of measures the county is taking to address mounting problems. For starters, the county says that new recruits often turn down jobs because of the islands' high cost of living and how remote they are. Some employees left after only working a short time.

A county spokesperson noted that the post-Pandemic inflationary period has hit San Juan County hard with pressure to raise wages and continue services. The 32-hour work week will allow the county to increase base wages. The county will also add a cost-of-living adjustment.

According to the county, it has experienced a 10-15% job-vacancy rate across multiple departments since the pandemic struck. This has hampered the city's work and has contributed to employee burnout. It also notes that 15% of the island's workforce will become eligible for retirement within three years.

“It has always been challenging to recruit and retain workers in the San Juan Islands, due to how remote we are and the high cost of living here,” said Angie Baird, director of human resources and risk management. “Today’s workforce insists on a better work/life balance. No other time in history has the workforce held this much power. San Juan County must respond to employee needs to remain a competitive employer.”

“We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘You can’t find anybody to do anything,’ from organizations and business owners – including many in Islands,” Baird said. “Our local restaurants, retail shops, and other services have reduced hours, reduced staffing, or have gone out of business. The County is getting creative in how we strengthen our workforce, entice new employees, retain existing employees, and stay within our operating budget.”

On top of the new 32-hour work week, San Juan County is taking other measures to attract new employees, such as an internship program for college students. The county is also obtaining housing for new employees to move to the islands. And financial bonuses will be offered for some positions. The county will also conduct a compensation study to ensure it aligns with other local governments.

As part of its reasoning, the county is pointing to a 2022 study from the UK, which experimented with a four-day work week. The study concluded that business productivity remained the same (revenues rose by 1.4% over the course of the study), while employees were less stressed, less often burned out, and experienced a better work/life balance. Mental and physical health improved. Staff were also less likely to leave the companies; 15% of employees said that no amount of money could entice them to leave for another job with a five-day schedule.

Other studies have come to similar conclusions but concerns about shifting to a shorter work week remain. Some business leaders are wary about impacts on customer service and revenue. Overall perceptions about changes to the work week vary between generations.

San Juan County is not alone in its shift in work perspective. The 32-hour work week has garnered considerable headlines in recent years.

Six states over the past three years have considered bills that would make a move to a 32-hour work week, including: California, Hawaii, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington. There was also an attempt in Congress in 2021 to establish a national 32-hour work week. None of these legislative efforts have gotten far.

Businesses, however, may take the lead on any potential four-day trend. A recent Resume Builder survey of 976 U.S. business leaders found that 20% of respondents said they already have shifted to a four-day work week, and 41% said they had plans to implement one in the near future. A majority of respondents in that same survey said that the 32-hour work week helped to attract and retain employees.