NASAA’s mission is to strengthen state arts agencies. Our work is accomplished as a result of the creativity, expertise and commitment of our staff. To sustain a strong team, NASAA is piloting a flexible work week program to invest in the wellness of our staff and our mission.
This change will allow staff members the flexibility to adjust their work hours in a manner that reinforces their personal wellness, while also ensuring responsiveness to NASAA members and the fulfillment of their duties. NASAA will remain open five days a week and will continue to respond quickly to time-sensitive requests.
Our staff is a dedicated group of individuals with deep commitment to the work of strengthening state arts agencies. This shift may seem counterintuitive, but its core purpose is to improve NASAA’s ability to serve state arts agencies over the long run.
This pilot will take place from October 2025 through September 2026 and will be evaluated based on staff well-being, productivity and member satisfaction.
There is a growing body of evidence that suggests reducing standard work week hours results in positive benefits for organizations. For example, an international study published in Nature (2025) examined the impact of a shorter work week across 2,896 employees in 141 organizations spanning Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Over a six-month period, the findings revealed significant improvements in multiple dimensions of employee well-being and productivity.
This study and others have found that organizations experimenting with shorter working hours maintain or improve productivity, with lower turnover, operational savings and recruitment advantages.
NASAA’s role and mission is unique—and this change will be evaluated within the context of our environment, with staff and member input. If you have feedback or questions about NASAA’s flexible work week pilot, contact Chief Operations Officer Sylvia Prickett.