Are 4-Day Work Weeks More Productive? 6 Facts

Written By Carolyn Gallagher

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies and businesses began exploring various options to improve and maintain performance. One option that some companies experimented with was a 4-day workweek. But, is this model more productive, and how does it affect businesses, customers, and employees? 

Four-day work weeks are more productive. Numerous research that was done globally in the last few years shows that working for four days instead of five in a 32-hour schedule can increase productivity and have concrete benefits for companies and employees.

In the rest of the article, I will present six facts that prove a 4-day workweek is effective in improving overall staff performance. I’ll also discuss how to transition into a 4-day work week and maintain overall productivity. Let’s get started! 

Why Four-Day Work Weeks Are More Productive

Companies and even some governments across the globe are beginning to experiment with newer models of work schedules that are better suited for the twenty-first century. The 4-day workweek, to be specific, shows positive aspects for companies and their employees when it comes to productivity. 

Research that was done in Iceland and published in 2021 shows that a 4-day workweek increased businesses’ productivity and improved their employees’ well-being. This resulted in Iceland expanding this model to other companies shortly after. 

A 2019 experiment done by Microsoft in Japan returned surprising results that not even senior management anticipated. The findings reveal that a 4-day workweek increases overall productivity by up to a staggering 40%.

In the US, many companies are starting to experiment with a 4-day workweek more and more. Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform, is one recent example that decided to test this model in 2022. 

There are also several countries that either tested or are planning to test this model. Apart from Iceland, Spain and the United Kingdom are also interested in working with private companies to see if there are any benefits of a four-day workweek for the economy.

A very useful talk by Juliet Schor for Ted on YouTube explains how a four-day workweek increases productivity. Here’s a link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyVfUaXyyqo 

Let’s now look at some facts that show the effects of a four-day workweek and how that improves productivity when combined together. 

1. Four-Day Workweek Improves Well-Being

The findings obtained from various studies suggest that the 4-day workweek actually improved the participants’ well-being. 

Perpetual Garden, a company from New Zealand, conducted the experiment, and the results were astonishing. Employees of Perpetual Garden reported an increased level of happiness that was not present before the four-day workweek experiment. 

Happiness is an important element that shouldn’t be overlooked in a business environment. Stress in the workplace negatively affects both the employees and companies. According to 4 Week Global, 78% of employees report being happier in a four-day workweek model.

Another good example is Buffer, a social media company that implemented the 4-day workweek model permanently. 91% of Buffer’s employees stated that they felt much happier working for four days instead of five.

Additionally, another problem is burnout, which impacts employees’ mental health negatively. But, burnout doesn’t only affect an individual worker. Companies can actually experience reduced productivity if their employees are stressed out and overworked.

2. You Have More Free Time 

If you work four days a week instead of five, it shouldn’t be surprising that an extra day off for all your other personal obligations comes in handy.

In most cases, a weekend is just not enough when you have personal obligations, doctor’s appointments, or when you simply want to spend more time with your friends and family. An extra day from work does mean a great deal for employees. 

Three work-free days a week for many people means visiting friends and relatives that don’t live close by. Besides that, many people like to travel or go camping to escape the busy city life. 

Another important point is that, with an extra day off, employees can set doctor’s appointments on Fridays or Mondays. They don’t have to take an unpaid day off from work just to visit a doctor, which is a common reason why so many employees refuse to see their doctors. 

The additional time you have to focus on your personal needs makes it easy to concentrate on work obligations, which, besides increasing productivity, makes you feel happy due to a positive work-life balance. 

3. There Is Less Cost for Companies With 4-Day Workweeks

Companies are generally worried that a 4-day workweek model will decrease productivity and profit if employees work fewer days in a week. But, Microsoft’s experiment in Japan shows just the opposite. 

The result of the experiment showed that the company actually saved money and reduced costs. On just that one day, when the employees weren’t working, the company saved up to 23% in electricity costs.

And electricity costs are only one area where companies can save money. Because of the astonishing results of a 4-day workweek on mental health, there is less cost of paid sick days. And companies that provide food for their employees can save some money on that extra day off. 

4. Customer Service Improves 

Because there is such a positive shift in the physical and mental health of a 4-day workweek, employees are more engaged and committed to their work. In addition, staff members have more energy throughout the day, which results in better customer service.

Workers that deal with customers as part of their job description often feel overwhelmed and stressed as the day wears on. And, at times, some overwhelmed employees take out their frustration on the customers.

A 4-day workweek model reduces the stress and overall burnout levels. This ultimately means that employees have more energy to work with customers. 

Some companies will need to hire more people so that their services are available throughout the week. On the other hand, some businesses opt to work only four days a week and be closed to customers for 72 hours. 

5. Increased Job Applications

There is strong support for a 4-day workweek model among many people. This is visible in the number of job applications companies implementing a 4-day workweek receive. 

The number of job applications increases dramatically for companies that opt to take up a 4-day workweek model. The increased interest in jobs that offer a four-day workweek shows support for such a model. 

When you think about it, this, too, affects productivity positively. 

At some point, companies tend to face recruitment issues due to unexpected vacancies that force them to search for replacements. The problem appears when there are few to no applicants interested in filling up the vacancies. But a 4-day workweek model ensures those companies don’t have a recruitment problem because of huge interest. 

In other words, continual productivity never stops because employees are always more than happy to work for such companies.

6. Four-Day Workweek Saves the Planet 

Four-day workweek model doesn’t only have positive effects on the employees but also on the planet. 

Staying home for one extra day decreases the carbon footprint and greatly helps the planet. Most employees must commute or drive to work, spending money on gas and polluting the planet. 

It is estimated that 691 miles (1,112 km) of commuting could be reduced under a 4-day workweek model. One day less of commuting to work can substantially improve our lives on the planet and help fight climate change. 

coworkers working in an office

Shifting to a 4-Day Workweek

It is not so easy to shift to a 4-day workweek. Companies and governments always perform research and case studies before deciding that it is genuinely beneficial to work fewer days a week. 

In their experiments with a four-day workweek, some companies have shown that it is possible to be productive and profitable only if certain elements are present. 

Additionally, a company’s productivity outcome will depend on the type of 4-day workweek it chooses to implement.

Two Types of Four-Day Workweek

In his Forbes article, Jeffrey Bartel mentions two main types of 4-day workweek models that companies can choose. Based on a company type, these two models will have different effects and results.

The first type from the article might not be suitable for companies that work with customers constantly. In this instance, companies work for 4 days and then close entirely for 3 days. 

This type of four-days workweek might prove to be easiest to operate since companies don’t need to plan different schedules for numerous teams of employees who work on different days. In this case, every employee starts and ends work on the same day. 

But, in such instances, customers often get unhappy since it means they have one day less to finish what they need in that company or organization. 

That’s why the second type is perhaps the best option. The second type, or “flex four-day workweek,” means that different groups of employees work on different days. This ensures that the entire week is covered, which is something customers appreciate. 

However, this type will require logistical and organizational investment to ensure everything runs smoothly in the company. 

But it doesn’t end there. Once a company decides what type is the best option for their business, there are some additional points that need to be addressed so that a 4-day workweek can be productive for a company:

1. Working Hours Should Remain the Same

Four-day workweek is not the same as a compressed workweek. Four-day workweek aims to keep the 32-hour work per week schedule. This is the most optimal amount of work in a company. 

Some companies reduced a 40-hour workweek to 35-hour when they switched to a four-day workweek model. But, the important point is that there’s no pay reduction when companies decide to implement a 4-day workweek. 

2. Business Type Matters

Some businesses will adapt to a 4-day workweek easier than others. This depends on the type of business a company deals in. 

Four-day workweek model is, in most cases, implemented by tech companies or organizations that don’t follow a traditional working schedule. I mentioned some companies already, such as Microsoft or Buffer. 

This means that some forms of services, such as hospitals, will have a more difficult time adjusting and implementing a four-day workweek. Hospitals can’t simply close for three days and let the patients wait. 

For these types of services and companies, implementing a four-day workweek might demand higher costs and an additional workforce. As many as 75% of businesses refuse to implement a 4-day workweek precisely because they think it would reduce customer service (and satisfaction). 

3. Save Time for Work

Companies that decide to switch to a four-day workweek will certainly have to readjust how their employees spend their time at work. 

Time efficiency is an important factor to consider to keep productivity levels up. Companies generally eliminate all the unnecessary things that might affect overall work performance. Therefore, some companies stop having redundant meetings and constant calls. 

Instead of spending time talking in those situations, employees switch to writing messages on social media or through a company’s communication platform. 

Some employees will even stop overusing social media when working and focus on completing as many tasks as possible.

This is often seen by critics as a negative consequence of a 4-day workweek. Employees don’t spend too much time socializing if they have to work constantly during their four days at work.

Even though there is perhaps less time for talking with your coworkers, you still get an extra day off, and many people use those days to spend time with friends and family over dinner or barbeque rather than in hallways or cubicles. 

The reduced non-work interactions allow employees to spend more time collaborating with coworkers on a variety of projects, which in turn translates to increased productivity.

4 day work week
Carolyn Gallagher
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