The prospects of a 4-day working week have been well documented in recent years. A new report from the University of Cambridge provides perhaps the most comprehensive analysis of the pros and cons of the approach to date.

“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,” the researchers explain.

“Many employees were very keen to find efficiency gains themselves. 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.”

Put to the test

In the United Kingdom, 61 organizations made a commitment to a six-month trial of reducing working hours by 20% for all staff, without decreasing wages, starting in June 2022. Most of these organizations maintained their full-time productivity targets.

The world’s largest trial of a four-day working week recently reported that the workforce experienced significantly reduced stress and illness rates, with 71% of employees indicating lower levels of “burnout” and 39% reporting decreased stress compared to the beginning of the trial.

During the trial period, sick days were reduced by 65% and the number of employees leaving participating organizations fell by 57% compared to the same period the previous year. On average, company revenue remained relatively stable, with a marginal increase of 1.4%. What’s more, 92% of the companies that participated in the trial program (56 out of 61) indicated that they intend to continue with the four-day working week, with 18 companies confirming the change as a permanent one.

Positive results

Numerous organizations based in the United Kingdom participated in the trial, with approximately 2,900 employees working one less day per week. The companies involved were diverse, ranging from e-commerce platforms and financial services firms to animation studios and a local fish and chip shop.

Throughout the trial, researchers surveyed employees to measure the impact of having an additional day of leisure time. Across workforces, self-reported levels of anxiety and fatigue decreased, and mental and physical health improved.

The results of the survey indicated that many employees found it easier to balance their work with familial and social commitments: 60% of respondents reported an improved ability to balance paid work with care responsibilities, and 62% stated that it was easier to manage work alongside their social lives.

“We feel really encouraged by the results, which showed the many ways companies were turning the four-day week from a dream into realistic policy, with multiple benefits,” the researchers explain.

A rational response

According to the researchers, a number of senior managers viewed the four-day workweek as a practical solution to the challenges presented by the pandemic, and anticipated that it would enhance their ability to recruit top talent in the job market after COVID.

Some regarded it as an attractive alternative to unrestricted remote work, which they believed could compromise their company’s culture. Additionally, some managers had witnessed their staff facing health issues and loss during the pandemic, leading them to feel a greater sense of ethical obligation towards their employees.

Even though some participants noted that shorter working hours had been considered prior to the pandemic as a response to high-pressure or emotionally taxing work, the CEO of a video game studio cited instances of well-known “crunch and burnout” in the industry as a motivation for participating in the experiment. Interestingly, none of the organizations involved in the study were utilizing the trials solely because advancements in technology had decreased their reliance on human labor.

Different approaches

During the trial, companies implemented a variety of strategies, such as halting operations entirely for a three-day weekend or distributing a reduced workforce throughout the week. One restaurant, for instance, adjusted their 32-hour workweek over the course of a year, enabling them to have longer opening hours in the summer while shortening them during winter.

A small number of businesses in the trial tied conditions to the reduced hours, including offering fewer vacation days, agreeing to short-notice staff recall, or a “conditional” four-day week that only persisted if performance goals were achieved.

The interviews revealed that businesses were able to decrease working hours while still achieving their objectives. Several effective approaches were employed, including shorter meetings with well-defined agendas, the creation of undisturbed “focus periods,” modifying email practices to minimize lengthy chains and overflowing inboxes, revamping production processes, and implementing end-of-day task lists to ensure effective handovers or a head start for the following day.

When workers were asked how they utilized their extra time off, the most frequent response was “life admin,” which included activities such as running errands and completing household chores. Many employees explained that this gave them the chance to take a proper break and participate in leisure activities on weekends.

“It was common for employees to describe a significant reduction in stress,” the researchers explain. “Many described being able to switch off or breathe more easily at home. One person told us how their ‘Sunday dread’ had disappeared.”

Work-life balance

A midweek day off proved beneficial for some parents with young children, who were able to save on childcare expenses. Meanwhile, parents with older children welcomed the extra time as an opportunity for some much-needed “me time.”

Overall, workers across the board reported dedicating more time to activities they already enjoyed, including sports, cooking, music, and volunteering. Some even pursued new interests or used the additional hours to attain professional qualifications.

The study found that employees had a positive view of the working culture, felt a greater sense of appreciation from their employer, and experienced a shared sense of purpose in the endeavor to implement the four-day workweek successfully.

Nevertheless, a few workers at a large corporation expressed apprehension about increased workloads, while some individuals at creative companies were troubled by a decrease in unstructured conversations resulting from “focus time,” believing that casual discussions often lead to fresh ideas.

Indeed, so positive was the transformation that few managers could imagine returning to normal again. Time will tell whether that proves to be correct or not.