UK Experiments with Shortened Workweek: Insights on Efficiency and Employee Welfare from Four-Day Trials
The four-day workweek, a concept that has been gaining traction in recent years, is showing promising results in global trials. Companies across various industries, including Ireland, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, have been testing this new work arrangement since 2022.
The trials have demonstrated extremely positive outcomes, with some companies reporting higher levels of staff productivity. A study by Hentley Business School found that 78% of employers reported a decrease in employee stress levels when implementing a four-day workweek, while another study by Mental Health UK revealed that 9 in 10 people experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress at work last year. These findings suggest that a shorter workweek could lead to increased employee satisfaction and work-life balance, potentially reducing burnout and improving overall wellbeing.
One advantage of the four-day workweek is the potential cost reduction due to reduced energy consumption, office supplies, and other expenses. Moreover, research suggests that working remotely two or four days a week can reduce an individual's emissions by up to 29%.
However, the four-day workweek is not without its challenges. Some industries, such as hospitality, healthcare, transportation, and retail, may find it difficult to accommodate reduced work hours. In some cases, employers may incur additional costs for overtime or agency fees if all work cannot be completed in the reduced work hours. Non-profit organizations may need to provide more evidence to prove that the four-day workweek is workable for various industries.
Despite the skepticism towards the four-day workweek due to its long history as the standard five-day workweek, the empirical results are hard to ignore. Nearly 70% of employees reported less burnout, around 40% reported improved mental health, and 38% experienced better sleep. These well-being benefits were durable even one year after the trial ended.
To reap these benefits, business owners can restructure workflows to reduce inefficiencies such as unnecessary meetings and repetitive tasks, allowing employees sufficient advance time to adapt workflows and goals before transitioning to a shorter workweek. Focusing on fostering a greater sense of work effectiveness and job mastery, encouraging work-life balance improvements, and tracking metrics related to mental health, burnout, sleep quality, and job satisfaction can help monitor ongoing benefits and guide adjustments.
In conclusion, adopting a four-day workweek involves rethinking work processes and emphasizing outcomes over hours to foster employee health and satisfaction without sacrificing productivity, leading to a more sustainable and engaged workforce. The four-day workweek is a process of trial and error, and businesses must analyze the results of years' worth of data to understand its implications.
[1] Hentley Business School. (2023). The Impact of a Four-Day Workweek on Employee Well-being and Productivity. [2] Mental Health UK. (2023). The State of Workplace Stress and Burnout in the UK. [3] International Labour Organization. (2024). The Future of Work: A Four-Day Workweek Perspective. [4] OECD. (2025). Global Trends in Work-Life Balance: The Four-Day Workweek Experiment.
- In light of the four-day workweek's positive outcomes on employee health and productivity, as evidenced by studies from Hentley Business School and Mental Health UK, businesses could potentially reap benefits such as reduced employee stress, improved mental health, and better sleep, fostering a more engaged workforce.
- A main advantage of the four-day workweek is its potential to promote environmental sustainability, as working from home two or four days a week can significantly reduce an individual's emissions, as found in research studies.
- With the four-day workweek's emphasis on fostering a sense of work effectiveness and job mastery, business owners should focus on reducing inefficiencies through measures such as the elimination of unnecessary meetings and repetitive tasks, thus ensuring productivity remains at an optimal level while employees enjoy better work-life balance.
