CEO adopts 32-hour work week, sees productivity rise

PORTLAND, Oregon (WISH) – A Portland CEO has put a stop to the traditional 40-hour work week.

Ryan Carson is the founder of Treehouse. It’s an online school for adults.

Carson says that neither he nor any of his employees ever spend more than 32 hours a week in the office, so, that’s exactly how long their work week is now.

Carson says he’s already seen an uptick in productivity levels. He told The Atlantic there’s no rule that says you have to work 40 hours to be successful.

In the article, he said that his wife asked him one day why they were working more than before –  now that they have their own company – and that they should be able to have more control of their lives.

He took that question very seriously. Especially, he said, since kids entered the equation and he could feel the clock ticking.

“With kids you realize you’ll have this 18-year window and then you’re done. So every moment I have with my kids I realize it’s something I can never buy back. No matter how much money I make or how powerful I get, I can’t buy time,” said Carson.

Treehouse now as 135,000 students, 85 employees and it’s growing.

Carson says so far, the four-day work week is working great. He said levels of productivity have gone up, and his CFO said fresher minds lead to more light bulb moments.

Carson said it’s not about working less, more family time or more play time, but about living a more balanced life.