Happy and productive workers: biggest four-day work week trial proves benefits
Working four days instead of five for the same pay probably sounds like a great deal for many employees. And a new study shows that it's also a worthwhile investment for willing companies. The study included 141 companies from six English-speaking countries: Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Ireland, and Great Britain. For six months, the companies tested the 4-day week. The results have now been published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.
The study provided some unexpected insights. It was originally expected that the shorter work week could lead to more stress, as the same amount of work had to be done in only 80% of the time. However, for most participants, the opposite was true, as shown after six months: The stress level even decreased. At the same time, satisfaction with their work performance increased, and employees felt psychologically better than before.
Study author Pedro Gomes explains that people became happier, healthier, and more productive because employees are better rested. "They make fewer mistakes and work more efficiently." While the study did not measure whether the overall productivity of the companies increased, apparently the leaders were also satisfied with the 4-day week: Over 90% of the companies decided to stick with it after the trial. The employees were surveyed again after another six months to see if the positive effects would diminish over time. According to the study results, this was not the case; the sense of well-being remained high.
Despite the clear benefits of the 4-day week, the study has some limitations. Participation was voluntary, so it's likely that primarily companies with a positive attitude toward the shorter week took part. Additionally, the results are based on employee surveys and self-assessments. It's possible that they responded overly positively to keep their extra day off. Therefore, further research is needed to confirm the results.
What's clear is that less working time means more free time. People have more time for their families, friends, and hobbies, says sociology professor Juliet Schor, who leads the 4-Day Week experiment. This has a positive effect on health and better sleep. "People feel rested when they come to work on Monday morning. They are more motivated to get their work done," Schor told CNBC Make It. Employees also have the necessary confidence that they can handle their tasks. "When people feel they're doing a good job, they also feel better in general," explains Schor. This transfers to their home life and health.
To get the same amount of work done in 80% of the time, employees and teams had to get creative. Unnecessary tasks and meetings were reduced, processes were optimized, and the most important tasks were prioritized, Schor explains. This also usually leads to better team cohesion. The transition to the 4-day week makes it much easier to change and optimize work processes in a way that everyone supports in the end.
To make this a success, the current study recommends using mediators and experts. The 141 participating companies were intensively coached in the weeks leading up to the trial to optimally implement the reduction in working hours.
For companies, the shorter week has another positive effect besides healthier and more motivated employees, as Juliet Schor says: There are fewer resignations and fewer burnouts.
