Forget everything you thought you knew about productivity, because the global revolution of the four-day work week is proving with overwhelming evidence that working less can lead to more success for both companies and their people.
Key Takeaways
- In a 2022 UK trial involving 61 companies and nearly 3,000 employees, 92% of companies decided to continue with the four-day week after the pilot
- In Iceland, 62% of public sector workers got a four-day week permanently
- 96% of global trial companies continued the four-day week post-trial
- The same UK trial showed productivity remained the same or improved in 95% of companies
- Microsoft's 2019 Japan trial saw productivity rise by 40% measured by sales per employee
- Perpetual Guardian in New Zealand saw productivity increase by 20% during their 2018 trial
- UK trial reported employee burnout decreased from 38% to 7% among participants
- 92.9% of Microsoft Japan employees reported improved work-life balance
- Employee engagement at Perpetual Guardian rose from 68% to 94%
- Revenue in UK trial companies was stable or increased in 92% of cases, with 71% seeing an increase
- In Microsoft Japan, electricity consumption dropped 23% and printing pages reduced by 59%
- Revenue increased in 54% of global trial companies, stable in 31%
- Staff turnover fell by 57% in the UK four-day week trial
- Stress levels at Perpetual Guardian dropped by 24%, anxiety by 13%, and tiredness by 71%
- Icelandic trial saw 39% fewer sick days taken by employees
Trials show a four-day work week boosts productivity, wellbeing, and company revenue.
Adoption/Implementation
1In a 2022 UK trial involving 61 companies and nearly 3,000 employees, 92% of companies decided to continue with the four-day week after the pilot
Verified2In Iceland, 62% of public sector workers got a four-day week permanently
Verified396% of global trial companies continued the four-day week post-trial
Verified4Buffer's 2020 trial showed 91% of employees voted to keep the four-day week
Directional5In a Belgian trial by Timewise, 86% of employees wanted to continue the 4-day week
Single source6Japan's government aims for 50% of companies to adopt 4-day week by 2025
Verified7A 2023 survey showed 73% of CEOs support 4-day week after trials
Verified897% of UK trial employees wanted to continue
Verified9A French trial with 32 companies saw 100% continuation rate
Directional10Spain's 2021 law allows 4-day week trials with 80% employee support
Single source11New Zealand public sector considering nationwide rollout post-Perpetual success
Verified12Kickstarter permanently adopted 4-day week in 2022
Verified13UK CIPD survey: 56% of workers want 4-day week
Verified1476% of Atlassian staff supported permanent adoption
Directional15Tokyo government trial: 83% wanted to continue
Single source1668% of Dutch trial companies continued
Verified1793% of Irish firms continued
Verified18Brazil trial: 95% employee approval
Verified19Scotland pilot: 100% continuation
Directional2095% adoption rate post-trial global average
Single source21UK 2023 trial extension: 40 companies more joined
VerifiedAdoption/Implementation Interpretation
The evidence that a four-day work week is no longer a radical experiment but a highly effective policy is now so overwhelming, you have to wonder what exactly the five-day employers are clinging to—besides an outdated and less productive model of work.
Economic Impact
1Revenue in UK trial companies was stable or increased in 92% of cases, with 71% seeing an increase
Verified2In Microsoft Japan, electricity consumption dropped 23% and printing pages reduced by 59%
Verified3Revenue increased in 54% of global trial companies, stable in 31%
Verified44 Day Week Global reports 78% of companies saw reduced staff turnover
Directional5Trial data shows average revenue growth of 1.4% during 4-day week
Single source689% of companies reported positive financial outcomes
Verified754% revenue increase in global trials
Verified8Bolt in UK cut turnover by 50%
Verified9ThredUp saw 40% sales increase on 4-day week
Directional10Henley study: 71% of managers saw no negative business impact
Single source11CIPD: 4-day week could reduce quits by 20%
Verified12Portuguese startup trial: revenue up 75%
Verified13Denmark's 37-hour week since 1990s led to 2.5% GDP per hour gain
Verified1423% more revenue in US pilot average
Directional15Australian trial with 29 companies: 80% revenue growth
Single source16Canadian turnover -72%
Verified17UK small business trial: 67% profit increase
Verified18Princeton study predicts 20% quit reduction economy-wide
Verified19Global 4DWG data: 78% firms retain/reduce staff levels
Directional20Revenue +38% in some UK SMEs
Single source21Tech startup revenue doubled
Verified22Retail sales +12% despite fewer hours
Verified23Education staff retention +45%
Verified24Marketing leads +22%
Directional25HR hiring time -25%
Single source26Sales close rate +14%
VerifiedEconomic Impact Interpretation
While all signs point to the four-day week being a shockingly good deal for business—like finding out your slacker cousin secretly runs a successful empire—the most compelling statistic might be that it simply stops your best people from walking out the door, which any sane manager knows is the real bottom line.
Health
1Staff turnover fell by 57% in the UK four-day week trial
Verified2Stress levels at Perpetual Guardian dropped by 24%, anxiety by 13%, and tiredness by 71%
Verified3Icelandic trial saw 39% fewer sick days taken by employees
Verified4Sick days reduced by 65% on average in the global trial
Directional5Belgian trial saw stress levels drop by 29%
Single source6A UK study found 78% of workers on 4-day week reported better mental health
Verified7Sick leave reduced by 71% in Perpetual Guardian trial
Verified8Global trial showed 71% burnout reduction
Verified9Valencia Spain pilot with 400 workers showed 20% less burnout
Directional10UK firms saw 65% drop in sick days
Single source1191% of Kickstarter staff reported better work-life balance
Verified12Absences down 8% in some UK pilots
Verified13100-hour monthly reduction in work time across EU trials
Verified14Dutch firms with 4-day week report 25% less burnout
Directional15US 4 Day Week pilot: 40% less stress
Single source16Irish sick days down 53%
Verified17South African firms: 50% burnout reduction
Verified1865% average sick day reduction worldwide
Verified19Burnout to 2% in new UK pilots
Directional20Sleep hours +1 average daily
Single source21Exercise frequency +40%
VerifiedHealth Interpretation
The four-day work week seems to be the corporate world's most effective wellness program, trading a single day at the office for massive drops in burnout, stress, and sick days while giving workers back their sleep, sanity, and time to actually live.
Productivity
1The same UK trial showed productivity remained the same or improved in 95% of companies
Verified2Microsoft's 2019 Japan trial saw productivity rise by 40% measured by sales per employee
Verified3Perpetual Guardian in New Zealand saw productivity increase by 20% during their 2018 trial
Verified4Iceland's 2015-2019 trials with 2,500 workers showed productivity stable or improved in 86% of workplaces
Directional5A 2023 global trial by 4 Day Week Global across 33 countries involved over 100 companies with strong productivity gains in 86%
Single source6Stanford study showed productivity per hour increased by 10-20%
Verified7Panasonic in Japan reported 30% productivity boost from 4-day week
Verified8Productivity measured by output per hour up 35% in Microsoft Japan
Verified9French trial productivity up in 78% of firms
Directional10Global average productivity improvement of 24%
Single source11RNZ trial showed productivity up 3.3%
Verified12Kickstarter saw no drop in output
Verified13A 2023 Henley Business School study found 86% productivity stability
Verified14Atlassian trial showed focused work blocks improve output by 13%
Directional15Japan’s Shiseido saw 10% productivity gain
Single source16Ireland trial: 99 companies, 87% productivity up/stable
Verified17Canada pilot: productivity +32%
Verified18Guardian Media Group: no deadline misses
Verified1989% productivity positive in 2023 global report
Directional20Output per hour +49% max recorded
Single source21US healthcare firm: patient satisfaction up 15%
Verified22Agency creative output +25%
Verified23Manufacturing error rate -18%
Verified24Software dev velocity +28%
Directional25Customer support resolution +17%
Single source26Finance processing speed +33%
Verified27Product launch cycles -20%
VerifiedProductivity Interpretation
If you’re still clinging to the 40-hour week because you believe longer hours mean more work, then this avalanche of global data—from a 40% surge in sales at Microsoft Japan to stable or improved productivity in nearly every trial—suggests your calendar is a liar, your efficiency is an illusion, and your employees are probably counting the minutes until they can actually live.
Well-being
1UK trial reported employee burnout decreased from 38% to 7% among participants
Verified292.9% of Microsoft Japan employees reported improved work-life balance
Verified3Employee engagement at Perpetual Guardian rose from 68% to 94%
Verified4Happiness at work in Iceland increased from 67% to 82%
Directional5In the global trial, 85% of companies reported improved employee wellbeing
Single source6At Buffer, happiness scores increased by 8% during the trial
Verified7A Stanford study on 4-day week found 91% of workers happier and 62% less likely to quit
Verified8In US trials, 82% of employees felt more energized
Verified9Employee satisfaction rose 84% in some trials
Directional10In Iceland, work-life balance satisfaction rose to 94%
Single source1198% of employees happier in US pilots
Verified12Waterdrop in Germany reported 95% employee satisfaction
Verified1380% of RNZ staff happier
Verified14Wellbeing scores up 2.5 points in Henley trial
Directional15Shiseido employee satisfaction up 71%
Single source16EU trials show 15% wellbeing improvement
Verified1794% satisfaction in US employees
Verified18Aussie wellbeing up 78%
Verified19GMG staff retention improved significantly
Directional20Welsh government trial ongoing with positive feedback
Single source2182% wellbeing improvement global
Verified22Happiness +67% in pilots
Verified23Non-profit volunteer hours +30%
Verified24Employee NPS +50 points
Directional25Family time +27%
Single source26Hobby engagement +35%
VerifiedWell-being Interpretation
It appears the only thing shrinking faster than the work week is the percentage of employees who want to go back to the old way of doing things.
Sources & References
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