How Tempora helped Boxfish improve employee time management and boost productivity, enabling a successful four-day week rollout
Sustainability consultancy Boxfish made a bold move in April 2024: introducing a four-day working week for all staff, with no reduction in pay. But this wasnât just a feel-good initiative. It was a decision backed by robust timesheet data from Tempora, a UK-based timesheet software solution that Boxfish had been using for over five years and now the team behind the newly launched self serve timesheet software Timemarker.
Although originally implemented for tracking billable hours, Tempora’s data became central to assessing productivity and driving operational change. This case study explores how effective time tracking for small businesses can pave the way for significant transformation.
The challenge: proving productivity and managing change
Boxfish faced a challenge common to many UK SMEsâhow to boost productivity without increasing hours or compromising service. With 18 staff members, the business wanted to innovate its working model but needed proof it wouldnât impact delivery or client relationships.
A further challenge was identifying inefficiencies and making objective decisions on how to improve operations. Prior to 2023, productivity was based on subjective perceptions rather than measurable outcomes.
The solution: using Tempora to track and act on data
The turning point came when Boxfish began using Temporaâs timesheet data more strategically. Rather than just tracking time for billing, they started analysing it to understand where inefficiencies lay.
Key actions included:
- Analysing task-level time data across client account management to highlight variances and training needs
Identifying manual processes that could be automated or streamlined
Investing in targeted staff training (e.g. Excel, reporting tools) based on workload insights
Measuring billable hours per employee to calculate team-wide productivity changes
Crucially, the leadership team used this data to inform their four-day week pilot, launching in 2024 after a three-month planning phase with staff and client input.
âTempora didnât directly give us solutions, but it gave us the clarity we needed. We had data to show we were 13% more productive year-on-year,â says Neil Sullivan, Managing Director at Boxfish.
The results: more output, fewer hours
Boxfish reduced the average staff working hours from 37.5 hours to 30 hours per week, with some flexibility built in. Despite the reduced hours, productivity increased by 13% compared to the previous financial year.
Results included:
- No reduction in service delivery: clients remained unaffected and were reassured throughout
Improved team morale and buy-in: staff helped shape the new model and appreciated the change
100% adoption of timesheet software: every member of staff including the leadership team, used the platform consistently
Operational improvements: from process tweaks to stronger communication and better project planning
Importantly, the four-day week wasnât static. Boxfish tested and refined their approach over time, rotating days off and adjusting policies like holiday reminders to ensure staff took their leave entitlement.
The value of visibility
For Boxfish, the four-day week wasnât about working lessâit was about working smarter. Timesheet data gave them the confidence and evidence to take a leap. By analysing how time was spent and focusing on efficiency, they achieved more in less time.
Temporaâs intuitive and reliable tracking tools proved vital in this process. And while Tempora was the legacy system used, the insights and learnings gained have shaped the development of Timemarkerâa new, self-serve timesheet platform built on two decades of experience, designed to help creative agencies and startups do more with less.
If youâre a small UK business or marketing agency looking for simple, effective time tracking, start a free trial of our next-generation solution at Timemarker.