Two Months In: The Real Benefits of Our 4.5-Day Week for Employees, Clients, and the Business

It’s been two months since we embraced our 4.5-day workweek, and the results have been even more rewarding than we imagined. When we launched this initiative, the goal wasn’t to disrupt how we work, it was to evolve it. We wanted to balance the needs of our people, our clients, and the business while exploring how time, focus, and wellbeing intersect. What we’ve seen so far proves that when you trust your team and commit to a healthier rhythm, value doesn’t just stay consistent, it multiplies.

A Happier, Healthier Team

Our team have always been at the heart of Bronco’s culture, and it’s been incredible to see how something as simple as a Friday afternoon off can make such a difference. The extra breathing room at the end of the week is helping everyone recharge properly, and it shows.

Team feedback over the last two months paints a clear picture: energy levels are up, stress levels are down, and creativity is flourishing. People say that finishing at 12.30 p.m on Fridays makes the weekend feel longer, allowing them to genuinely rest, spend more time with family, or dedicate hours to hobbies that invigorate them. When Monday comes around, the team arrives refreshed and motivated, already planning for the week ahead.

We’ve also noticed improvements in collaboration and focus. With slightly less time in the diary, everyone is planning their schedules more carefully, prioritising deep work, and communicating more intentionally. The half-day Friday has become not just a perk, but a reminder that genuine productivity comes from focus and balance. It’s about quality over quantity and balance over burnout.

Stronger Agency Output and Team Performance

One of the most valuable outcomes has been how the reduced hours have improved how we work, not just how long we work. Our efficiency has increased, meetings are more structured, and projects are managed with sharper focus and better collaboration.

The shorter week has naturally encouraged smarter decision-making. Teams know their time is precious, so there’s more discipline, clarity, and ownership in every task. We’ve seen higher-quality outputs, fewer revisions, and stronger cross-team communication.

By setting clear goals early in the week and wrapping up on Friday mornings, our rhythm now feels more natural and sustainable. Our internal systems have adapted, ensuring that the reduced hours do not mean reduced availability. In fact, the opposite is true, because the team works with more focus and energy, response times are fast, and output quality remains exceptional.

Clients Are Seeing the Benefit Too

From the start, our greatest priority was ensuring clients would continue receiving the same high-quality service they expect from us. Two months in, client feedback has been glowing. Most haven’t even noticed a shift in our schedule, and many have commented on how our work feels more dynamic and creative than ever.

Our engagement and communication methods remain unchanged, clients can always reach the right people when they need them. The only real difference is the boost in quality and enthusiasm that comes from a happier, well-rested team. The momentum that builds early in the week now carries right through to Friday morning, resulting in smoother workflows and stronger campaign delivery.

We’ve built this transition around transparency and accountability. Clients know why we’ve made this change and understand that it ultimately benefits everyone. They’re partnering with a team that’s not just producing great work but doing so sustainably, creatively, and with genuine pride.

A More Sustainable Business Model

From a business perspective, the 4.5-day week has proven to be a smart investment in culture, retention, and performance. Our team were already a loyal, long-standing team, but this shift has deepened that sense of commitment even further. Employees are demonstrating even more initiative, ownership, and care for their work because they see and feel that the company values their wellbeing.

We have not experienced any loss in output or missed deadlines. In fact, our improved time management and morale are contributing to a stronger overall performance. Productivity rates have held steady, while creativity and engagement metrics have increased.

The 4.5-day week has also become a powerful reflection of who we are as an agency and what we stand for. Rather than a recruitment tool, it demonstrates to prospective clients that Bronco is an agency built on authenticity, balance, and long-term commitment. After more than two decades with remarkably low staff turnover, our stability and culture speak for themselves. The shorter working week reinforces that strength, showing clients, they’re partnering with a team that values sustainability, innovation, and quality in everything we do, from our internal culture to the digital strategies we deliver.

The Power of Rest, Reflection, and Trust

What’s most striking about this experience is the change in atmosphere. There’s a greater sense of calm, confidence, and unity across the agency. By taking that extra half-day, people have gained something much larger, a renewed sense of control over their time and energy. Fridays now signal both completion and reward: a short morning of focus followed by an afternoon to recuperate, explore, or simply rest.

The benefits have gone beyond what any report or KPI could measure. The team is happier, our clients are satisfied, and the business is thriving with fresh momentum. The experiment has reaffirmed something simple but powerful: when you put people’s wellbeing at the centre of your operations, everything else naturally improves.

Looking Ahead

As we move forward, we’ll continue refining and improving how this new schedule works for everyone. While it started as a trial, it’s quickly shaping up to be a long-term fixture. We’re still learning, adjusting, and listening, but the foundations are solid.

Our 4.5-day week isn’t just about shorter hours; it’s about reimagining what balance looks like in a high-performance environment. It’s about trust, focus, and the belief that when people feel good, they do great work.

A Final Word

If you’re a business owner curious about whether a shorter workweek could benefit your team, or a client who values working with an agency that champions wellbeing as seriously as creativity, we’d love to share what we’ve learned.

At Bronco, we’re building not only stronger digital strategies for our clients but a stronger, happier future for our team. Because when our team thrives, so does everything we create together.