how our roastery team made the move to a 4.5-day workweek
by Tess Martin, Warehouse & Logistics Manager at Bell Lane Coffee Roasters
One of the biggest changes we made recently was moving from a 5-day to a 4.5-day workweek in our roastery.
It’s a move that has benefited our team and our operations—but it wasn’t an overnight decision. Here’s how we did it, why we did it, and what we learned along the way.
the planning
Implementing a 4.5-day workweek wasn’t just about making a change—it needed to make business sense. The key to getting leadership buy-in? Pre-empt and solve management’s concerns before they even need to ask.
Build a plan that will show how the transition will work, how it will impact production, and—most importantly—how it will ensure customers continue to receive their orders on time.
By proactively answering questions and removing potential roadblocks, you set the proposal up for success, making it easier for the leadership team to say yes.
the senior leadership team at bell lane coffee roasters
include your team
Before rolling anything out, I spoke to the roastery team to get their input. We proposed working slightly longer hours Monday to Thursday in exchange for a half-day Friday.
Their feedback was clear: they liked the idea but preferred an 8am to 5pm schedule rather than an earlier start. While I myself had hoped for a 7am start, we compromised, and the results have been great.
Key takeout: everyone needs to be onboard and feel part of the decision making process.
start with a trial
We introduced a trial 4.5-day work week in July—a time when operations are typically quieter, allowing us to identify and troubleshoot any challenges before peak periods.
From the start, we knew this needed to work for both our team and our customers.
involve your team to keep them happy
make it work for customers
A key concern in making this shift was customer impact—we needed to ensure that moving to a 4.5-day workweek wouldn’t affect deliveries.
Before rolling it out, we were already shipping orders within four days, so we knew it was feasible.
The sales team communicated the change with customers, ensuring they knew there would be no Friday shipping.
Most customers adapted quickly, but for the occasional one who forgot, we found workarounds. If a courier wasn’t available, customers could collect orders in person—but once that happened, they rarely forgot the deadline again!
the benefits
The shift to a 4.5-day week has come with some major benefits:
1️ extended shipping hours: with the extra hour Monday to Thursday, we can now push shipments out until 4:30pm instead of 3:00pm, getting more orders out each day
2️ improved productivity: roasting schedules have remained efficient and the team are committed to making the change work
3️ higher team morale: finishing at noon on Fridays gives our team a longer weekend, making the workweek feel shorter and more manageable—there’s a psychological boost knowing Thursday is the last full workday
4️ stronger recruitment appeal: many businesses still operate on a 5-day week, so offering a 4.5-day schedule has become a great hiring incentive as we expand the team
the imf roaster in bell lane coffee roasters
final thoughts
Adjusting our roastery operations to a 4.5-day workweek wasn’t just about giving people more time off—it was about working smarter, not harder.
By refining our shipping schedules, improving efficiencies, and keeping our customers in the loop, we’ve boosted productivity while improving work-life balance for our team.
It’s proof that a shorter workweek doesn’t mean sacrificing performance—it can actually enhance it.
