Workplace wellness: Making a 4-day week work

When I became an agency owner, I knew I wanted to create a company that I would want to work at as an employee — a place you would want to go to every day. However, as I sat looking at my employees’ faces during virtual meetings in the wake of the pandemic and the hard market, I could see they were mentally drained, and so was I.

Workplace wellness: Making a 4-day week work

Building a Modern Agency with a 4-Day Workweek

When I became an agency owner, I knew I wanted to create a company that I would want to work at as an employee — a place you would want to go to every day. However, as I sat looking at my employees’ faces during virtual meetings in the wake of the pandemic and the hard market, I could see they were mentally drained, and so was I.


It’s been a rough few years, and burnout in the insurance industry is on the rise. According to the 2025 Independent Agents at Work Study from Liberty Mutual:

  • 57% of frontline staff say they feel mentally and physically exhausted

  • 51% report feeling burned out

  • Burned-out employees are twice as likely to seek out a new role



Why We Needed Change

Retaining experienced employees is essential to my business, and I had some key employees move farther away from the office during the pandemic. I didn’t want to risk losing them, so I challenged myself to find a better way to support my staff’s mental health.

I dove into research on work-life balance, spending countless hours reading articles and watching YouTube videos. One idea stood out: a 4-day workweek. But I found little on how to actually implement it.

Then, I turned to ChatGPT — and after a few iterations, it gave me a workable schedule. That moment opened my eyes to how AI could help us be more efficient and actually make a 4-day week possible.

A New Work Model

Even before the pandemic, we had laptops and cloud systems in place to quickly transition to remote work. We had already adopted a hybrid work model, which made the move to a new schedule easier.

We introduced the virtual 4-day, 32-hour workweek in May 2024.



As of March 2025, our team works Monday and Tuesday consistently. The other two workdays rotate, giving each employee a different day off weekly.

But we established two non-negotiables:

  1. Provide excellent customer service for 40 hours a week

  2. Maintain high levels of productivity


People are often surprised that our staff works just 32 hours a week, not 40. But I’ve learned that:


“If you give someone a week to do something, they’ll finish it in a week. If you give them a day, they’ll get it done in a day.”

Big, Bold Changes Take Time


My staff loved the 4-day week — at first. But after a month, we hit challenges:


  • Customer calls weren’t returned promptly

  • Tasks slipped through the cracks

  • Our Net Promoter Score (NPS) dropped


These issues weren’t new — they were ongoing inefficiencies that became visible under the new model. So we decided to face them head-on and transform how we work.


3 Ways We Made the 4-Day Week Work


1. Standardized Agency Processes

We documented all our key procedures, especially the sales process. Now, no matter who answers the phone, they have everything they need to help a client.

This standardization gives our team members the freedom to take time off without worrying about work.

It also:

  • Increases accountability

  • Reduces stress

  • Simplifies onboarding


2. Created a Collaborative Culture


Most agencies operate in silos — “That’s not my job” becomes the norm. That leads to uneven workloads and burned-out team members.

We switched to a shared inbox system, which:

  • Distributes work more evenly

  • Encourages team collaboration

  • Ensures every client has a seamless experience


Tasks are automatically routed to the right team:

  • Licensed sales

  • Licensed service

  • Non-licensed client-facing support

  • Back-office support

From there, tasks are reassigned to balance workloads.

3. Embraced AI Technology

Technology powers our 4-day workweek. With AI-driven tools, we automate repetitive tasks and free up employees for higher-value work.

Key innovations include:

  • AI tools for grammar, call handling, and meeting transcription

  • A custom intranet with an AI chatbot for quick answers on internal processes

  • Real-time coaching support for new hires


Work Smarter, Not Longer

One year in, our 4-day workweek has delivered results:


  • Increased productivity

  • Higher NPS scores

  • Greater employee satisfaction


We continue to improve our systems and processes, always prioritizing our team’s well-being and mental health.


I’m proud of the modern agency we’ve built.

I challenge other agency leaders to rethink how they operate and explore how they can help their teams achieve better work-life balance.