UK study shows benefits of four-day work week for employees and employers
July 10, 2024
After a holiday shortened week, it’s a good time to re-run a post from March, 2023 about 4 day work weeks.
TLDR: workers like them!
Twenty-nine hundred workers at 61 employers in the United Kingdom worked four day weeks from June to December of last year, and 92% of participating employers (56) have said they will continue the four day work week after the conclusion of the research. Companies reported higher revenue despite fewer working hours, and employees reported less burnout and more ability to care for family members. Fifteen percent said that “no amount of money” would entice them to return to a five day a week schedule. These companies did not have an increase in new hiring during the six month period. Here’s a link to the full report, and to coverage in the WSJ and the Washington Post.
Source: Lewis, et al Autonomy, February 2023 LINK
A few cautions are in order. Most of the companies involved in this pilot were small (two thirds had 25 or fewer employees), and the research sponsor was a group advocating for four-day workweeks. Four-day work weeks might be easier to implement for knowledge workers, but could lead to increased disparities as limiting work hours is harder for service workers.
There are other efforts to decrease employee burnout, too. Countries including France, Ireland, Portugal and Italy have legislated a “right to disconnect” so that employees are not required to address emails or other communications outside of working hours. Daimler implemented a “Mail on Holiday” program to delete all emails received while on vacation.
Implications for employers:
- The pandemic made many companies rethink the workplace and rethink work.
- This provides encouraging data suggesting that increasing employee time off can delight employees without adverse impacts on business.
- Employers considering four-day work weeks can consider how to provide increased guaranteed time away from work for service workers.
- Companies can set policies and leaders can set examples to make employees feel comfortable disconnecting when they are off, even absent laws requiring this.