As featured in Financial Accountant magazine

Damian Connolly was among the finance experts asked to share his views in Assessing the four-day week, published by the Institute of Financial Accountants in September 2026.

Read the full feature

The four-day week has moved from being a curious experiment to a serious conversation in boardrooms and small businesses alike. So when Financial Accountant, the magazine of the Institute of Financial Accountants, explored what businesses need to have in place before trying one, we were delighted that our founder and Managing Director, Damian Connolly, was among the finance voices asked to contribute.

You can read the full feature, Assessing the four-day week, on the Financial Accountant website. Here, we wanted to share Damian's perspective in a little more depth, and what it means for the SME owners we work with every day.

Why is the four-day week on so many business owners' minds?

The momentum is real. Combined with the rise of AI, a four-day week for employees is increasingly being discussed alongside wellbeing and similar issues. The article points to one of the largest trials to date, run in the UK by Autonomy, where the vast majority of the 61 participating companies chose to keep the four-day week once the six-month trial ended, with efficiency and productivity among the most commonly reported benefits.

For SMEs in particular, there is another reason the idea is appealing. Smaller businesses often cannot match the salaries that larger corporates offer, so a shorter week can look like an attractive way to hold on to good people and stand out when recruiting.

It is easy to see why the idea is tempting, and that is exactly why Damian's advice is to slow down and look carefully before you leap.

What did Damian say about the four-day week?

Damian's message to SMEs was one of measured caution. He encouraged business owners to approach any move towards a shorter week with "thorough review and testing", because of the "significant practical and financial issues" it can raise.

He also stressed that regular reviews are essential throughout any trial. The purpose of those reviews is to check whether the hoped-for gains, such as greater efficiency or better staff retention, are genuinely being achieved without creating pressures elsewhere. In particular, Damian highlighted three areas to keep a close eye on:

1. Delivery of your service to clients
2. Fairness across different teams
3. Wellbeing of your people, including their mental health, stress levels and workload

What practical and financial issues should SMEs be thinking about?

Damian's point was that the headline idea of "same pay, fewer days" hides a good deal of detail that only shows up once you start working through the numbers.

Client expectations do not shrink to four days, so someone still needs to answer the phone, respond to queries and keep projects moving on the fifth day. Covering that fifth day with staggered rotas, overtime or temporary support all comes at a cost, and if those costs creep past the savings and gains the business was hoping for, then the potential introduction of this new model will not work.

Then there is the question of fairness.

Some roles compress into four days quite naturally, while others, often the client-facing and operational ones, simply do not. A policy that works beautifully for one team and leaves another stretched can do more harm to morale than no change at all. Any change to working patterns can also carry contractual and HR implications, so it is always worth taking proper advice before anything is formalised.

Why should wellbeing sit alongside the financial measures?

This is the part of Damian's advice we would underline twice. A four-day week that looks wonderful on the spreadsheet but leaves your team squeezing five days of work into four is not a success, however good the revenue figures appear. Stress and burnout tend to surface later, in sick days, mistakes and resignations, which is precisely what the change was meant to prevent.

So alongside productivity, margins and client satisfaction, it is worth listening carefully to how people are actually finding it. The healthiest pilots treat people and profit as two sides of the same scorecard.

Where does a finance partner fit in?

A trial like this benefits enormously from someone who can design the measures, keep an impartial eye on the results and translate what the numbers are saying into a clear recommendation for the leadership team. For many SMEs, that is exactly the kind of strategic support a Fractional CFO provides.

If you are wondering whether that kind of support would help your business, our free guide, 15 Signs You Need a Fractional CFO, is a good place to start. Download the guide

Frequently asked questions

Is a four-day week suitable for every SME?
Not necessarily. It tends to work best where output is measurable and cover can be arranged without undermining client service. Businesses with heavily client-facing or shift-based roles need to plan particularly carefully.

How long should a four-day week pilot run?
A fixed period with a clear end date is essential. Around 90 days is often suggested, long enough to see genuine patterns but short enough to change course if needed.

What should we measure during a trial?
Choose a handful of measures tied to your business priorities, such as productivity, margins, client satisfaction and service levels, alongside indicators of staff wellbeing, and capture a baseline before you begin.

Considering a change to how your business works?

Whether it is a four-day week or any other significant shift, the best decisions are the ones made with clear numbers and good advice. Go to SME Growth to find out more or Book a Discovery Session with Damian to talk it through.