UK Productivity and Well-being Insights from Four-Day Workweek Trials
Since 2022, advocacy groups have been conducting global trials of the four-day workweek, a potential solution for cost reduction and improved employee well-being. The four-day workweek can be implemented by either compressing the hours worked in five days into four days or by working fewer hours but with no reduction in employee pay.
The findings from a large global study involving nearly 2,900 employees across 141 organizations in countries such as the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand have been overwhelmingly positive. After six months on a four-day schedule, 67-70% of employees reported reduced burnout levels. Over 40% experienced improved mental health, around 38% reported better sleep, and workers felt happier, healthier, and more capable of managing work and life balance.
No meaningful decline in productivity was observed; companies maintained output by restructuring workflows and eliminating unnecessary meetings. Best practices for business owners emerging from these trials include maintaining pay despite reduced hours, providing preparation time for organizations to redesign workflows and improve operational efficiency, eliminating or reducing low-value tasks, using clear measurement and monitoring to track employee well-being and productivity, supporting collaboration and communication adjustments, and recognizing that benefits extend beyond productivity gains to improved employee health and satisfaction.
Initial evidence suggests that working remotely two or four days a week can reduce an individual's emissions by up to 29%. In January 2025, 200 UK companies signed up to make the four-day workweek permanent, including those in accountancy, banking, the creative arts, and engineering. However, some industries such as hospitality, healthcare, transportation, and retail often cannot accommodate reduced work hours in a four-day workweek.
Despite trials and some companies adopting the four-day workweek, many remain dubious about its viability. A study by Mental Health UK found that 9 in 10 people experienced high or extreme levels of pressure or stress at work last year. The study also found that 68% of employees said they would enjoy their work more if they were able to work a four-day week. UK trials of the four-day work week have reported higher levels of staff productivity.
The surge in interest in the four-day workweek can be attributed to various reasons, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the demonstrated ability of employees to work effectively from home. However, non-profit organizations will need to do more to prove the four-day workweek is workable if times are to change from the traditional five-day work week. If not all work can be completed in a four-day work week, employers may incur overtime costs or agency fees.
A study by Hentley Business School found that 78% of employers who implemented a four-day work week reported their employees feeling less stressed at work. The four-day work week involves employees working four days instead of five. Trials of the four-day work week have seen employees receive 100% compensation for working 80% of their usual hours, and the results have been extremely positive.
The evidence suggests that a well-implemented four-day workweek can be a viable strategy for businesses aiming to enhance worker well-being while sustaining or even boosting productivity. The findings have been reported widely in major outlets such as Business Insider, Entrepreneur, and Euronews.
- Despite some industries finding it challenging to accommodate a four-day workweek, the study by Hentley Business School indicates that 78% of employers who implemented this strategy reported their employees feeling less stressed at work.
- The four-day workweek trial has shown that employees working four days instead of five can receive 100% compensation for working 80% of their usual hours, resulting in a positive outcome for employee health and well-being.
- The findings from the large global study reveal that, after six months, 67-70% of employees reported reduced burnout levels, around 40% experienced improved mental health, approximately 38% reported better sleep, and workers reported an overall improvement in managing work and life balance.
- The surge in interest in the four-day workweek is reportedly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the ability of employees to work effectively from home, and a demonstrated potential for cost reduction and improved employee well-being.
- In an effort to improve employee health and satisfaction, along with productivity, businesses can consider implementing the four-day workweek by compressing hours into four days or working fewer hours without reducing pay, proper workflow restructuring, eliminating unnecessary meetings, and clear measurement and monitoring of employee well-being and productivity.
