Software company Afas now gives employees paid time off every Friday

This article was last updated on June 12, 2024

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Software company Afas now gives employees paid time off every Friday

From next year, software supplier Afas will close the door of its head office in Leusden every Friday. The staff no longer has to work on that day, but will continue to be paid.

The company has now renamed that Friday a ‘development day’, on which employees can, for example, provide informal care, volunteer work or do something for themselves. No emails are allowed to be sent that day.

Afas hopes that employees spend the day well. “Netflixing all day, or still working hard at another company, for example, is not our preference,” the company writes to its employees. “But we’re not going to control what you do.”

Staff who have previously worked four days are making significant progress: they will also be paid for five days from next year.

From 60,000 to 450,000 euros per employee

According to Afas, the four-day working week is possible because employee productivity has increased enormously in 25 years: from 60,000 euros per employee per year when Afas first existed to 450,000 euros in 2023. According to the company, this has been achieved partly through automation and artificial intelligence. to fit.

The expectation is that the staff will continue in this direction in the near future. It is therefore not the intention to work longer on the other days to compensate for Friday. Afas also says that it does not plan to increase the targets or hire additional staff.

The company further emphasizes that it is still available to customers on Fridays. Employees who have to work then will have their ‘development day’ on Wednesday.

Official home working day at de Volksbank

At de Volksbank, staff can no longer work at the head office in Utrecht on Fridays. The bank has kept its doors closed to employees since last week, and Friday will be an official work-from-home day for them.

“The occupancy was so low on Fridays that this was decided,” says a spokesperson. “This way we can also reduce costs and, for example, prevent energy waste.”