Chicago, Illinois–based developer Young Horses (Bugsnax, Octodad: Dadliest Catch) switched to four-day workweeks in July in the hopes of achieving a healthier work-life balance.
As explained by Axios, the team of eight had already been experimenting with 35-hour workweeks, so the latest change meant only dropping 3 hours per week.
“It was easier for us to implement because to measure our small team’s output is simple relative to those bigger studios,” said the studio’s co-founder and president Phil Tibitoski. “So our trial period and decision-making is faster than a studio who has to get buy-in from so many departments and investors.”
However, Tibitoski believes that a four-day workweek is attainable even at bigger studios provided the leadership prioritizes the sustainability of the happiness of the people over the studio’s growth.
“If we’re all happier to be at work because we’re well-rested, I think we’re going to be better off in the long run,” Tibitoski added.
Young Horses, however, is not the only studio currently in pursuit of a better work-life balance. Earlier this week, Dontnod introduced a permanent remote working policy, allowing its employees in Montreal and Paris to choose between working from home or from the office. Meanwhile, Finland-based mobile studio Fingersoft announced a six-month trial program, allowing employees to work 80% of their weekly hours while getting 90% of their salary.