Companies are increasingly opting for work-from-home days instead of summer Fridays.

In recent years, the percentage of employees who report receiving Summer Fridays has significantly decreased.

In 2019, 55% of organizations offered Summer Fridays, but only 11% of North American workers say they have access to it, according to a November 2023 survey from Gartner of more than 1,100 people.

With the rise of work-from-home Fridays in hybrid workplaces, companies are increasingly considering doing away with Summer Fridays, which allows workers to take a few hours or the entire day off during summer months, according to Caitlin Duffy, senior director in the Gartner HR practice.

Organizations should be cautious of assuming that all types of flexibility provide the same benefits, especially during a "well-being crisis" when burnout and disengagement are high, she warns.

Duffy tells CNBC Make It that while organizations might view them as replaceable, there's a notable distinction between being completely disconnected and working remotely.

Some companies have faced criticism for reducing workplace flexibility that was established during the pandemic. For instance, Goldman Sachs faced backlash last year when it required employees to return to the office five days a week, preventing them from working remotely on Fridays and starting their weekends early. JP Morgan Chase, Boeing, and UPS have also increased RTO requirements for certain employees, although businesses mandating full-time office attendance represent a small percentage of Fortune 500 companies.

Duffy advises companies to assess the effects of decreasing workplace flexibility on their employees before following their competitors' lead.

"HR leaders are concerned about the impact of return-to-office on their ability to attract and retain talent, despite looking to their peers for insights on what others are doing, especially in competition for the same talent, says Duffy."

A benefit to help 'make time for life'

Jellyfish, an engineering management platform, has introduced Summer Fridays to its marketing department, and Kyle Lacy, 40, is part of the group that is bucking the Summer Friday slide.

Lacy explains that the policy is quite flexible for the approximately 20 eligible employees, starting at 2 p.m. every Friday from June to August. Employees can utilize their time for various purposes, such as completing work tasks, acquiring new skills for their job, starting their weekend, engaging in leisure activities, traveling or spending time with loved ones.

Lacy, who has previously worked at companies with Summer Fridays, states that a couple hours off on a Friday won't affect a team's good work and goal-meeting when they are performing well.

He believes that if people are given time to do things they enjoy, they will also enjoy their work.

Stacy suggests that explicit Summer Fridays off, even for a few hours, can improve psychological safety and better support workers who have a hard time taking breaks, despite Jellyfish's unlimited PTO policy and its 200 employees.

"High performers on a team are less likely to prioritize their personal lives unless explicitly instructed to do so. It's easy to assume that they will succeed regardless, but the truth is that they won't."

Workers say shorter weeks improve their jobs, lives

A four-day workweek or full Summer Fridays off is the most desired option for 41% of workers, as per a June 2023 Monster survey of 523 people.

Workers who receive summer benefits, such as reduced hours or flexible schedules, were found to be 27% more likely to consider leaving their company if their workweeks were reduced.

A majority of workers who receive summer benefits report that the perks do not decrease their productivity, and 66% say these benefits increase their productivity.

Support for a year-round four-day workweek has increased among businesses and lawmakers in recent years. Numerous companies worldwide have implemented permanent shortened workweeks following successful trial runs that enhanced worker productivity, satisfaction, and business results. In Congress, Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., recently presented legislation that would decrease the standard workweek to 32 hours without a salary reduction.

Duffy is not worried that a decline in Summer Friday offerings could slow down the momentum around a four-day workweek, as only about 10% of U.S. workers currently have a year-round four-day workweek, and this number has been increasing over time, according to Gartner data.

A survey of 1,047 people conducted by Morning Consult found that 87% of U.S. workers would be interested in a four-day workweek, and 82% believe it would be successful if widely adopted in the U.S.

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