Ilitaqsiniq to try 4-day workweek again this summer
Shorter schedule last year ‘motivated, inspired’ staff says executive director
Ilitaqsiniq’s staff, seen here, will try a second four-day workweek pilot project this year. Executive director Adriana Kusugak said the pilot is done during the summer to make time for cultural practices. (Photo courtesy of Ilitaqsiniq)
After a successful trial run of a four-day workweek last year, Ilitaqsiniq will do it again this summer.
“We saw the benefits of offering it and wanted to be able to offer it again to our staff,” said executive director Adriana Kusugak.
Ilitaqsiniq, known as the Nunavut Literacy Council, is a non-profit organization that focuses on cultural programming within the territory.
Last year’s pilot project revealed there were more benefits than challenges with a four-day workweek, Kusugak said.
Staff reported better physical and mental health, as getting an extra day off gave them a chance to rest, spend time on themselves and their families and re-energize.
Initially, it was a challenge to fit the work duties of five days into four, Kusugak said, mentioning a staff member who said it was tough to fit their weekly work visits into four days, but over time was able to adjust.
“[Staff] knowing that they only had four days to get their work done motivated them [and] inspired them,” she said.
This year, Ilitaqsiniq will implement a four-day workweek from May 3 to Sept. 13. Last year, the pilot project was from May 8 to Sept. 1.
Like last year, salaries, benefits and length of work days will remain the same. So will job responsibilities and workload.
Kusugak said they are running the pilot project again to ensure the impacts of a four-day workweek are properly researched and to see if results are similar.
“If you’re going to try anything and consider it research and evaluation, you need to do it a minimum of two times,” she said.
The pilot project is run through the summer because with the sun out longer and warmer temperatures, there are more opportunities to enjoy cultural practices such as boating, caribou hunting and berry picking.
“We want to give staff the opportunity to do that,” Kusugak said, adding this year’s pilot project was extended into September for that reason.
With or without a four-day workweek, the amount of work Ilitqasiniq must do will not slow, Kusugak said.
During the fiscal year of April 1, 2023, to March 31 this year, Ilitaqsiniq delivered 77 programs with 450 people. That does not include drop-in programs or community events.
“There is no down time at Ilitaqsiniq,” Kusugak said.
“We have no slow periods.”
Attempting a four-day workweek is a chance to be creative and innovate, she said, adding work methods don’t need to stay the same just because they have always been done a certain way.
“This is one small initiative we’re piloting to show this does support the well-being of Nunavut employees,” Kusugak said of the four-day workweek.
After the second pilot is completed, Ilitaqsiniq will review the findings with its board of directors before deciding whether a four-day workweek might be made permanent.
There will be naysayers but this model makes a lot of sense for Nunavut. Kudos to them. GN, hear, hear. yes please to 4 day work week in the summer months in Nunavut. Summer is short and it is really nice to be able to go outside a lot more.
In my town , a 4 day work week is the norm , even though , people are suppose to work monday to friday . For a lots of folks, weekend, starts (payday) thursday . crack open a cold one and full throttle unit sunday night.
“There is no down time at ilitsqsiniq. There are no slow periods.”
Can anyone confirm?
well they pay enough money for people to participate in the programs that people quit jobs they have to participate… then when the program is done… well they are out of work still.
I Need to work here. The weekend is never long enough for fishing and camping.
Marry into the family if your not already family then your good to go.
What , do you mean ” Marry into the family ” , you mean marry into the local clan that runs your town like a ” Mafia familiy ?
What a good idea, it would be nice for other agencies to experiment with this type of work week. I think Illitaqsiniit is on to something beneficial.
I’ve often wondered why the schools don’t break during the spring instead of summer. Inuit traditionally celebrated the spring, so why not cut school off during May and June, and go back in July? We are Inuit in Nunavut, so why not take a break for families during the spring instead of summer?
Been there – done that.
I was Principal in Whale Cove. We started July 26 and ended around May 20th.
This group including others like this need a forensic audit done on them.
Like many charities Ilitaqsiniq conducts an audit every year. Their financial statements are published in their annual report, which is on their website, as well as on the Charities Directorate of Canada.
I dont think they are stealing money… the issue is that they pay to much for the programs they run (its good to get participants, and money into the communities) however these short term big payouts impact other jobs being filled.
Is it easy to see the agenda unfolding?
By fall time it’ll be all the rage if adults can work 4 days, but their kids are at school during part of their days off. That’ll be wrong.
I bet in a flash, with literacy leading the way, education must be reduced to 4, maybe 3 days a week.
Cool, it’ll give future adult clients.
So the GN will step in pushing their Guaranteed Basic Income for all. If work or not, get paid.
Well, why not when AI is taking jobs left and right. Why educate when can sit at home and get paid?
It’ll make it easier for Hamlets to lockdown everyone into 15 minute cities/hamlets.
Because they can’t have people travelling, using that illegal word (gas) to go out picking berries.
Funny how the word “berry picking” always gets pulled from the justification bag, even if berries won’t be ripe for months.
However, I keep hearing people talking they need or do work 2 jobs at 5, 6 days a week to put food on their table.
Then it must mean wages must be over the sky-high for a 4 day work week to work? Unless the agenda above drops in place.
Tinfoil belongs in the kitchen drawer, not on your head.
How do the hours work? Is it 30 hours per week?