A four-day work week may significantly improve employee well-being, this according to new research.
A new report, published in Nature Human Behaviour on July 21, details an international pilot program conducted across six countries. It found that workers who shifted to shorter work weeks reported better physical and mental health, reduced burnout, and greater job satisfaction after six months.
The trial involved 2,900 employees from 141 organizations in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. Companies maintained full pay while reducing working hours by 20%, following a two-month preparation phase to streamline workflows. Employees who cut their hours the most saw the biggest gains, but even modest reductions led to noticeable improvements compared to a control group of US companies that kept a five-day schedule.
The findings add to a growing body of research supporting shorter work weeks as a way to address rising levels of anxiety, depression, and workplace fatigue. Countries like Poland, Germany, and Portugal are actively exploring the model, while Belgium already allows employees to request condensed work schedules.
For many people around the world, the five-day workweek seems to be how life has always functioned, and, for some, five days has even been the minimum. But as our societies develop and issues like burnout become more prevalent, we’re starting to take a closer look at the system we took for granted, and perhaps noticing some great disparities between our work hours and productivity.
The idea of the four-day workweek seems quite radical to many, especially with the 100/80/100 principle, but it’s actually been proven by big companies to have various benefits, which both you and your company, and hopefully your government, will want to pay attention to. Click through to learn more, and start making your case!