Should AI Gains Go to Employers or Employees? How about Fridays off?

With AI, we can now get our work done by Thursday.

AI is making us faster, smarter, and more productive. Tasks that once took hours now take minutes. Research, writing, analysis, automation... AI is transforming knowledge work across the board. It’s a massive leap in efficiency. But here’s the question I’ve been wrestling with:

Should we use that gain to drive more sales growth and profit? Or to give people more time back?

At my company GoodLiife, we’re hoping to do both. Starting recently, our team moved to a 4-day workweek, working Monday through Thursday, 9 hours per day. Fridays are off.

Why We're Doing It

AI is already helping our small team punch above its weight. Marketing campaigns, app development, customer support, and content creation are all faster and more scalable thanks to AI. The natural temptation would be to ask the team to do even more with these tools.

But the bigger opportunity may lie in doing the same, but better and in less time.

More Personal Time Is A Great Investment

We believe personal time is one of the most valuable things we have. And since our mission at GoodLiife is all about helping people design a balanced, healthier, happier, more fulfilling life, that needs to include our employees too.

If AI is giving us more efficiency, we’re using some of that to give time back, whether it’s for rest, family, side projects, or just catching your breath. It's OK to work on Friday if you feel you need to catch up on eMails or some project. But that is your choice. No meeting are ever scheduled on Friday. The time is yours.

Diminishing Returns on Fridays

Let’s be honest: Fridays are often the least productive day of the week anyway. So giving people that day as a flex day to handle personal errands or tie up work loose ends. This means Saturday and Sunday can actually be for unplugging, relaxing, and enjoying life.

The Pros of a 4-Day Workweek

• Increased focus: Knowing the week is shorter forces better prioritization.
• Improved well-being: Extra rest days reduce burnout and stress.
• Talent attraction: It’s a powerful benefit in today’s hiring landscape.
• Loyalty and morale: It shows we trust and value our people.
• Built-in project buffer: Once in a while, you can tap Fridays to handle urgent projects.

The Potential Cons

• Client expectations: Most customers expect service & support on Fridays.
• Time crunches: Some deadlines may feel tighter.
• Cultural adjustment: It requires resetting norms and workflows.

The Bigger Picture

AI is not just a productivity tool. It’s a chance to rethink how we work and why we work. If used right, it can help us break out of outdated models built for the industrial age and move into a more human, balanced way of living and working.

As a founder, I believe our job is not just to build a profitable company but to build one that lives its values. That’s why we’re betting on a 4-day workweek. We’ll keep you posted on how it goes.

And I’m curious: If AI gave your company 20% more productivity, what would you do with it? Let me know in the comments.