[hitonagashi]

My only issue with that approach is that of holiday days.

I can see so many ways that that can go wrong. To me, the reason it works seems more like peer pressure than enjoyment of work.

I love what I do, I love coding, and I also know that I love taking a week out to not care about everything I do at work. If I was in a system like that, I'd feel kinda pressured to keep up with my colleagues and not let the team down. Not by my friends and officemates, but by the knowledge that if I take a week off, that's a week they've got to handle the work I'd do. There's rarely a 'good' time to take holidays, especially in smaller teams.

It could work, it is certainly possible, but it seems an unnecessary area where pressure can occur when a team is under stress. To be honest, I think it could work better with the caveat that everyone has to take a certain minimum level of holiday.

Sick days however make perfect sense.

[jasonfried]

People take a healthy amount of vacation at 37signals.

And if we spot someone burning out because they aren't taking enough vacation or time off, we remind them - and sometimes strongly encourage them - to take some time off.

[Andys]

But remember, they are already working a 4 day week, so the chance of being burnt out and forcing themselves to work is lower than normal.

[patio11]

IIRC, they don't do that anymore. Something about the weather in Chicago. No, really.

[jasonfried]

We do four day work weeks from May - October. Five day work weeks the rest of the year. We've found that's the right balance.

[Andys]

Sounds good to me. I would like a workplace where it is accepted culture to work 4 days, or equivalent on average, since I'd probably rather work a few of weeks and take a long weekend.