It was World Kindness Day on 13 November, and if your LinkedIn timeline was anything like mine (which I suspect was similar to the majority of people’s reading this), on the day, it was filled with CEOs or C-Suite members posting about the various acts of ‘kindness’ they have carried out for their staff.
Over the years, I’ve seen free pizza days, fizz Fridays and even table tennis tables being purchased for offices to celebrate the occasion. While these are all positive perks to be offering employees, they totally miss the point if they are being used in isolation. In the 1950s, these might have been labelled as ‘rewarding’ or ‘generous’, but certainly not in 2025.
The journey to becoming truly kind towards your employees starts with being empathic and seeing the world through their eyes. While I am sure that most CEOs’ intentions are positive, a single pizza day once a year as a ‘reward’ is not likely to authentically engage employees as it can often feel forced.
Pizza days also start to look more unattractive as other employee benefits move into the mainstream such as the four-day working week and unlimited paid annual leave. The introduction of these into more workplaces will lead staff to question why their employer can’t offer them, especially if others in the industry are trialling them so successfully. Would you rather have free pizza once a year or 20% more of your own time back to do whatever you like? I already know the answer…
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The benefits of four-day weeks
To be clear, when referencing a four-day working week, I am not referring to a week in which employees painfully compress their hours across four days so that they can have a fifth free. Instead, I am talking about a ‘true’ four-day working week, with no additional hours or reduction in pay. The former simply does not bring the same benefits to staff or businesses.
One of the biggest benefits for businesses implementing the four-day working week is staff retention. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) estimates the average cost of filling a vacancy, including labour costs, is £6,125. For a manager role, these figures rise to a staggering £19,000. Retained staff are also much more likely to be more productive, motivated and engaged, and to speak positively about their employer.
The simple act of giving your employees more time back is far kinder and more effective at boosting staff engagement than a pizza would ever be. People are so time-poor in 2025 and it is no surprise mental health issues are increasing year on year – something needs to change.
The importance of a ‘third place’
In the early 1990s, Sociologist, Ray Oldenburg coined the term ‘the third place’ which describes a familiar public spot, away from work and family, where you can regularly connect with others known and unknown, over a shared interest or activity. These places offer a sense of connection, and are important for our wellbeing and overall happiness. Yet, how many people can honestly say that they regularly visit a third place when working five days a week, with weekends filled with catching up on cleaning, food shopping and other household chores.
I understand that switching staff to a four-day format can be a daunting step. But, if managed properly, it can be a worthwhile one. There is an abundance of resources online about how best to transition, and my own tips would include easing staff into the mindset of a four-day working week, believing in the idea and giving it time to flourish, and perhaps most importantly, ensuring you plan and communicate the changes effectively. We have been implementing a true four-day working week for well over a year and a half now, and in that short time, have witnessed a significant increase in productivity, engagement and overall staff satisfaction.
If organisations choose to ignore the ever-growing amount of research that highlights the benefits of a four-day working week, and stick to offering employees free pizzas or fizz Fridays across a handful of days a year such as World Kindness Day, it is reasonable to say that they are running the risk of significantly reduced retention rates. Employees will eventually move to more progressive businesses with a shorter week as the movement becomes more mainstream. Ignoring this long-overdue and heavily in-demand discussion will not make the idea go away…
Alex Voakes is the CEO of Peak PEO, the people-led Employer of Record, consistently providing a friendly, expert, and personalised service to support businesses around the globe.
The company has over 25 years of experience in the sector and its people-led approach has been finely tuned to guide its clients through the intricacies of global workforce management and expansion. Peak isn’t just about good business – it is 100% committed to being a force for good in the world.
By teaming up with B1G1, The Better Business Act and 4DayWeek, the company is committing to being a great place to work whilst also giving back to society and the planet.
- Alex Voakes
- Alex Voakes
- Alex Voakes
