MAKING THE CASE

While a four-day work week wouldn’t erase challenges by itself, it could offer a viable method to alleviate stress and encourage management professionals to enjoy a better balance between work and home life.

Alfred Logan, general manager at Spring Valley Lake Association in Victorville, Calif., says his community has been operating on a “4/10” work schedule for over 14 years. The community’s four 10-hour shifts generally take place Tuesday through Friday, with event staff adjusting their schedules as needed. Security is excluded from this schedule due to the 24-hour nature of the role.

“The schedule was implemented as a department-wide shift rather than on an optional basis,” Logan says of the transition. While staff appreciate the schedule, Spring Valley recently had to shift the maintenance team back to working five eight-hour shifts a week.

Brambleton Community Association in Brambleton, Va., has an even more flexible take on the work week. Core hours are Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the office open on Fridays for an optional half day. “Some team members also have opted for alternative schedules, such as four nine-hour days or four 10-hour days, giving them Fridays off entirely,” says manager Rick Stone, AMS, LSM, PCAM.

The association transitioned to a flexible work schedule over a year ago “driven by our goal to recruit and retain high-quality employees and to stay competitive with the corporate work-place culture,” he says.

HOW IT’S WORKING

At Spring Valley, the flexible workweek seems to alleviate the pressure. “Staff enjoy the extra day off and cite better work-life balance, especially those with young families,” says Logan. However, he notes that the 4/10 model has not led to a reduction in sick callouts or measurable gains in productivity. He’s also “noticed that productivity tends to decline during the last few hours of these longer shifts.”

While he believes the overall work-place climate remains healthy and the model is popular among staff, he has concerns from an operational standpoint. He notes that if the board were willing to hire additional staff to provide Monday coverage, he could see the model being more viable long term.

At Brambleton, where the four-day week does not always entail longer shifts, the model seems to be working so far. “Resident response has been great,” says Stone. “With our virtual environment, online resources, and now artificial intelligence tools in place, we’ve been able to meet resident needs seven days a week. Most residents haven’t noticed any change in service.

“The flexible hours have been a win-win. Staff are more energized, morale is high, and service to the community hasn’t been impacted. It’s working well for both the team and the association.”

GETTING CREATIVE

The community management talent shortage isn’t going away on its own. Observers say associations need to think creatively, be willing to experiment with benefits, and stay committed to building workplaces where people want to stay. What works in one community or company may not in another, but the principles are universal: Prioritize work-life balance, tailor solutions to your operations, and create a culture where managers feel valued.

If the community management industry can shift from a reputation of relentless grind to one of professional growth coexisting with personal sustainability, it could attract new talent and also retain dedicated professionals who already know how to keep communities thriving.