State workers more positive about 4-day week

Midway through a one-year pilot program, the four-day workweek ordered by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is gaining support among state workers.

A state survey last month found that the number of workers who said they're excited about the shorter workweek had climbed 10 percent since July, from 57 percent to 67 percent.

And since the previous survey, workers reported a slight increase in employee morale, from 42 percent in July, shortly before the new 10-hour day schedule took effect, to 46 percent.

Still, the results of the latest employee survey by the Utah Department of Human Resources Management aren't enough to guarantee the Monday through Thursday schedule will be made permanent.

"I don't know if we can say one way or the other yet," said Jeff Herring, the department's executive director. "The employees' side is looking good, but we still need to look at the public and energy."

Huntsman announced last summer that he was shifting state workers from the traditional eight-hour days to 10-hour work days to save an estimated $3 million annually in energy costs by shutting down state buildings on Fridays.

Just how much money the state is actually saving is still being calculated, according to Kim Hood, the executive director of the Utah Department of Administrative Services. Hood said she expects to have those figures early next year.

State workers aren't any more certain the move will save energy now than they were in July, according to the survey results. In July, 61 percent agreed that the new workweek will have a positive impact on the environment, and now, 58 percent agree.

They're also no more convinced the public is benefiting from being able to access state services such as motor-vehicle registration's extra hours Monday through Thursday, but not at all on Fridays. In July and November, just 34 percent agreed the new schedule would have a positive impact on their customers.

Todd Sutton, an employee representative with the Utah Public Employees Association, said it will likely be public opinion that has the most impact on whether the four-day workweek becomes permanent.

"That will be the determining factor whether this is going to remain," Sutton said. "Overall, public employees have been pretty silent on the matter."

The lack of employee complaints to the UPEA "either tells me they don't think there's anything they can do about it, or they're content with it," Sutton said.

About 7,000 of the state's 24,000 employees participated in the November survey, Herring said, adding his department is still analyzing the results. More than 8,600 employees were surveyed in July. The survey will be repeated this summer.

Herring said employees who had concerns about the effect the new schedule would have on child care, commuting and other aspects of their personal lives "have been very good in finding solutions."

He said that for most employees, "the hardest part was making the switch. I think it's just taken getting used to it and making the adjustments."

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