“A four-day workweek increases productivity without reducing output.”

The 4DWW improves employee health, work-life balance, with 97% reporting positive outcomes and reduced stress. 63% of respondents noticed increased workability... Additionally, 27% reported a decrease in sick days per year.

Companies that switched to a 4 day workweek, with no reduction in pay, saw major improvements in their workers' well-being, according to a new study published in Nature Human Behaviour earlier this month. Led by Boston College sociologists Wen Fan and Juliet Schor, the study was the largest of its kind, involving 2,896 employees across 141 organizations in the US, the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. To maintain productivity, many companies participating in the study eliminated superfluous meetings and other time-wasting activities, with 90% ultimately deciding to keep their 4-day workweeks.

Pilot studies have found that switching to a 4-day workweek improves worker well-being and job satisfaction and can reduce certain costs for organizations. The '100-80-100' model, where workers get 100% of their pay to work 80% of the time while maintaining 100% of the productivity, has shown consistent positive results across companies and countries. However, researchers warn that the results are preliminary and more rigorous studies are needed, with a 2023 systematic review identifying negative impacts like scheduling problems and a risk of benefits fading over time.

One study in the Academy of Management Journal found that the four-day workweek does not reduce labor productivity and may in fact increase it. A larger study in the United Kingdom in June of 2022 launched the largest four-day workweek pilot at that time, including more than 3,300 workers and 70 British companies. Overall, the trial found no productivity loss associated with a four-day work week pilot program with some companies reporting significant improvements.

Giving workers an extra day off per week increases productivity, improves physical and mental health, and reduces CO2 emissions, according to research. In 2019, Microsoft Japan introduced the four-day workweek and reported a 40% increase in productivity, with similar results found in 2022 global trials where employers rated productivity improvement at 7.7 out of 10. Nearly half of respondents in a UK trial reported improved productivity, and 86% were very likely to continue with the four-day workweek.

Autonomy's analysis of multiple pilots found that firms adopting a four-day work week with no pay cut typically reported productivity increases near 20%, though these gains relied on redesigning processes, shortening meetings, and measuring outputs instead of hours. Microsoft Japan saw a 40% jump in productivity during its four-day week trial, and the UK's 2022 national pilot saw 92% of firms continue the four-day schedule.

Employees taking part in the world's largest four-day week trial found that working one day fewer increased productivity, reduced burnout and increased wellbeing. Before the trial, many questioned whether we would see an increase in productivity to offset the reduction in working time – but this is exactly what we found. Of the 61 companies participating in the research, 56 said they are continuing with the four-day week (92%), with 18 confirming the policy is a permanent change.

Making the move to a four-day workweek doesn't mean less work—just less time in which to do the work! Transitioning to a four-day workweek typically involves condensing the traditional 40-hour workload into fewer days. This compression can result in increased stress and fatigue among employees. Critics argue that a universal shift to a four-day workweek may not be economically viable across all sectors, particularly for small businesses and industries not benefiting from automation and AI advancements.

The trial was a total success, with 84% of employees reporting improved work–life balance, and 86% saying they were more efficient with their time. Sometimes, less time at work actually leads to more output. When there are fewer hours available, teams become more intentional about their time.

Studies suggest that a shorter workweek can enhance efficiency, with employees tending to be more focused and productive when they have fewer workdays, leading to higher output and engagement. However, certain industries, especially those requiring continuous operations or customer service availability, may find it challenging to adopt a four-day model without disrupting service delivery. Condensing 40 hours into four days can also result in longer shifts and increased pressure, potentially counteracting some intended benefits.

Recent studies underscore the transformative potential of the four-day workweek, demonstrating significant improvements in employee well-being and productivity across diverse settings, with participants maintaining or even surpassing full-time productivity levels despite a 20% reduction in working hours. However, critics caution that if not effectively handled, a four-day workweek could result in issues including longer working hours, unsatisfied customers, and decreased productivity, especially with models like the 4/10 where workers put in 10 hours a day.

In this context, we would clarify “output” to mean business outcomes, indicating that if companies can maintain business outcomes despite working fewer hours, that would be considered a success. The document discusses learnings from companies but does not claim universal productivity increases.

Our results show that Human Development Index, Gross Domestic Product has a p-value of more than 0.05, and therefore we do not reject the null hypothesis that the four days work week has no impact on productivity in the workforce. Life Satisfaction Rate on the other hand has a p-value of less than 0.05, thus rejecting the null hypothesis that the four days work week has no impact on the satisfaction rate of the workforce.

Henley Business School's research delves deeper into the pros and cons of four-day working week and whether it's good for business. The page links to various reports but highlights both benefits and potential drawbacks without universal endorsement.