Do Four-Day Workweeks Bring Real Savings?

Folks at Texas Christian University should not look forward to getting their Fridays off, should an energy crisis once again grip the country. A story in the Daily Skiff, a newspaper at TCU, says that short weeks would not produce significant energy savings.

Some colleges across the country — notably Brevard Community College in Florida — have instituted four-day weeks in an effort to save money on energy. After all, if buildings aren’t open, you don’t have to light, air-condition, or heat them. According to a story last year on CNN’s Web site, Brevard saved $267,000 in energy costs, which the college used to hire 10 full-time faculty members. The college also saved money on staff sick days.

But that strategy might not work at TCU, said officials in the Daily Skiff: “Provost Nowell Donovan said if Friday classes were canceled there would still be a significant amount of energy use on campus. With the current construction, security, and number of students living on campus, dropping Friday classes might not make a big difference, Donovan said.”

It would be interesting to hear from readers on this issue. Have you gone to a four-day workweek, and what benefits have you seen? And is there a downside in terms of space utilization?