Four is the new five as consultancy defies norms

Hamurcu: We don’t want to be too dogmatic or rigid. If a client has a request, our rule is that you still make yourself available and are responsive.

WHEN change management consultancy &samhoud Asia announced the implementation of a four-day workweek at the start of this year, reactions were mixed.

“Some clients were shocked and thought we were crazy. There were even some who told us we wouldn’t survive because it wasn’t financially viable,” Nur Hamurcu, co-managing director of &samhoud Asia, tells StarBiz 7.

The decision to move from a traditional five-day workweek to four days, without any reduction in salary, undoubtedly drew scepticism.

“On the other hand, others were extremely excited, asking us if we had any vacancies because they wanted to be part of this,” he adds.

Under the new model, &samhoud Asia’s staff devote 80% of the working hours to client-related work, with the remaining 20% allocated to personal development, reflection and inspiration.

Employees have full autonomy over how they use their Fridays, as long as client commitments are met.

The reason behind this shift, Hamurcu explains, stems from &samhoud Asia’s overarching strategic vision.

“Our goal is to become the most loved boutique consultancy firm in Asia, and to do that, we need to be a frontrunner that stands out to both our clients and employees.”

“This ethos shapes our internal people strategy. We want to go beyond just being a great place to work,” he says, adding that it requires the firm to embrace creative, bold and disruptive ideas.

As one of the first management consultancies in the region to pioneer a four-day workweek, the firm aims to reimagine industry conventions, prioritising impact over hours while enhancing employee wellbeing and delivering greater value for clients.

“If you treat your employees well, they’re more empowered to treat your customers well. Customers then stay longer with you, enabling more profit and growth, which can be used to reinvest in your people. It’s a continuous cycle of value creation,” he explains.

Value of time

Since adopting the four-day model five months ago, the firm’s leadership has made it a point to conduct regular check-ins with staff to gauge the initiative’s effectiveness.

Particular emphasis is placed on employee wellbeing, client satisfaction and productivity.

“We have had very good deep-dive sessions with our teams where we step back, reflect and see what works and what doesn’t,” Hamurcu shares.

Several positive outcomes have already emerged based on staff feedback.

“Overall, our colleagues are very happy to have more quality personal time to spend with their families,” he notes.

One surprising revelation was that the four-day workweek has not negatively impacted output or deliverables.

In fact, teams were able to compress five days’ worth of work into a shorter time frame.

“It confirmed our belief that if you give people more time, they will use it. But if you give them less, they become more creative and get things done more efficiently,” he says.

Additionally, tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) have also proven highly beneficial for operational and repetitive tasks, maximising overall productivity within the condensed schedule.

Another unexpected advantage of the new arrangement, he adds, is that it frees up extra mental space to focus on broader business development goals.

“For the first four days of the week, we are dedicated to delivering to clients, but on Fridays, we have that time to really think more innovatively about the future of the business.”

However, the four-day workweek also comes with practical challenges – chief among them, working with clients whose schedules and needs often extend beyond a Monday-to-Thursday timeline.

For Hamurcu, such situations highlight the need for a flexible, common sense approach.

“We don’t want to be too dogmatic or rigid. If a client has a request, our rule is that you still make yourself available and are responsive.

“One text or email takes five minutes, and then you can enjoy the rest of your Friday.”

“At the same time, we also work to educate, inform and manage client expectations,” he stresses.

“We partner closely with them to discuss how we can best work to serve them as we integrate our four-day workweek.”

Work in progress

Despite its advantages, a four-day workweek may not suit every organisation.

Hamurcu thinks that professional services firms – such as those in consulting, law and accounting, as well as marketing, design and creative agencies – are better suited for this working structure.

“For these knowledge-based, people-centred businesses, time and place are not as relevant as their people can work from anywhere,” he says.

In contrast, a four-day workweek may be less applicable in industries that are more physically bound, such as healthcare, retail and education.

However, he believes even these conventional sectors will eventually undergo structural changes.

“Today’s younger generation has different priorities when it comes to work. They want to know if an employer’s purpose aligns with theirs and if their growth and development will be nurtured.

“They’re passionate about work, but they’re not going to work seven days a week.”

Organisations, he says, will increasingly need to rethink their workplace culture and leverage technology to align with these shifting values.

Beyond this, leaders who can exemplify and inspire a forward-thinking mindset among their teams are essential.

“Ultimately, effective change will only begin when organisations have a foundational philosophy – one that is purposeful in creating meaningful work environments for their people.”