4-Day Week Keeps Employees Healthy and Preserves Productivity, Trial Shows

4-Day Week Helps Employees and Preserves Productivity. Credit: Senado Federal / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

A major trial of a 4-day workweek conducted in the UK has revealed significant reductions in employee stress and illness while maintaining productivity.

According to the results of the study, 71% of employees had lower levels of “burnout,” and 39% claimed to have experienced less stress, compared before the trial. The trial also recorded a 65% reduction in sick days, and a 57% decrease in the number of staff resignations, compared to the same period the previous year.

Remarkably, company revenue remained almost unaffected during the trial period and even increased marginally by an average of 1.4%, according to the results.

Details About the Study

The non-profit organization 4 Day Week Global, Autonomy, and researchers from Cambridge University, Boston College, and Oxford University spearheaded the four-day workweek trial.

The six-month trial claimed to be the world’s largest of its kind, consisting of 61 companies that agreed to a 20% reduction in working hours for all staff without a drop in wages. The trial commenced in June and concluded in December 2022.

We were part of the UK's pilot 4-day work week trial – incredible to see the combined results of our cohort: pic.twitter.com/X4b6bGPjka

— Jessie Healy (@Jessie_Webtopia) February 22, 2023

Prof. Brendan Burchell, the sociologist who led the University of Cambridge side of the research, stated in a press release, “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.”

Many employees were eager to find the gains themselves. Burchell added, “Long meetings with too many people were cut short or ditched completely. Workers were much less inclined to kill time and actively sought out technologies that improved their productivity.”

Summary of the Report Sent to Legislative Body in the UK

The findings were summarized in a report that was sent to the legislative body in the UK. The research noted how 92% of enterprises who participated in the pilot program declared their desire to continue with the four-day workweek (56 out of 61 total companies), and 18 companies verified that the change would be permanent.

Companies including online retailers, financial service providers, animation studios, and even a local fish-and-chip shop, took part in the trial. The pilot program also included companies from the consultancy, IT, skincare, housing, recruitment, hospitality, marketing, and healthcare sectors.

Concept of 4 Day Workweek

The 4-day workweek is a work schedule where employees work for four days in a week instead of the traditional five-day workweek, but get the same compensation. The idea is to reduce working hours while maintaining the same level of productivity, leading to a better work-life balance and improved employee well-being.

The 4-day workweek typically involves working long hours on the four working days, while still receiving full-time pay. The concept has gained popularity in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as more companies have reevaluated traditional work practices and embraced flexible working arrangements.