The COVID pandemic changed us all in so many ways. We got a crash course in supply chain logistics. We suffered through a refresher course in the economics of supply and demand. And it also confirmed what we long suspected: that maybe office workers don’t necessarily have to be in the office.
Now, companies large and small are pushing for a return to the office. Real estate management firm Jones Lang Lasalle IP Inc. reported that – for the first time since the pandemic – a majority of Fortune 100 companies have rolled out full-office policies.
“Seven of the 10 largest employers in the Fortune 100 now have requirements of four or more days in office, and the three largest employers among the set require full attendance,” the company revealed in a second-quarter report.
New research, however, suggests that there might be a surprisingly productive middle ground: let employees take Fridays off – with pay.
Methodology
At least that’s the conclusion of a sweeping new study in Nature Human Behaviour, which looked at the influence of a shorter workweek on nearly 3,000 employees from six countries. The intervention? A company-wide shift to a four-day week with no change in compensation. The results? Dramatic (and consistent) improvements in employee well-being.
Researchers examined data from 141 organizations spanning the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. These employers took part in six-month trials organized by the nonprofit 4 Day Week Global. (It’s worth noting that while the obviously biased nonprofit invited the researchers to sift through their data, the group exerted no influence over the design, results or outputs of the research.)
All told, 2,896 employees experienced reduced working hours – most commonly shifting from 40 to 32 hours per week – without a corresponding pay cut. A dozen companies that showed interest (but didn’t participate) served as the control group.
Employee Burnout Rates Fall
Across the board, workers in the trial reported improvements in burnout, job satisfaction, mental health, and even physical health. Burnout scores tumbled, while job satisfaction shot up by more than half a point (based on a 10-point scale). Employees also reported better mental health, alongside moderate gains in physical well-being.
Apparently these patterns failed to materialize in the control group, where both working hours and well-being scores remained the same. That contrast helps rule out broader societal trends or timing effects as explanations.
“Previously, the four-day workweek didn’t feel realistic or achievable,” lead author and Boston College economist and sociology professor Juliet Schor told Boston College Magazine. “I think the common sense about the feasibility of a four-day workweek flipped. More and more employers are now wondering, ‘Could this work for us?’”
Employee Health Improves
Further investigation revealed a link between greater cuts in individual work hours and a dramatic boost to one’s well-being. Those who trimmed their workweek by eight hours or more saw the biggest gains.
At the company level, even moderate reductions led to gains, though the individual-level effect appeared to be stronger.
The researchers identified three critical factors:
- Improved work ability: Employees felt more capable and effective at their jobs, suggesting that less time didn’t mean less output. It hints at more focused, efficient work.
- Better sleep: Reduced schedules meant fewer sleep problems, which (in turn) contributed to better mood and health.
- Less fatigue: Workers felt less worn out – physically and mentally.
The study’s authors also pointed out other other benefits, such as increased schedule control and a slight uptick in physical exercise.
More Than a Question of Time
While trimming hours made a difference, the researchers point out that the structure of the intervention matters, too. These were organization-wide changes, which ushered in a shared sense of purpose and revived norms around self-care and work-life balance.
Notably, even when company hours fell, some workers still perceived higher job demands. This paradox, the authors suggest, probably reflects the reality of shoehorning five days’ worth of work into four. Even so, the benefits to employees suggest that most employees rose to the challenge.
Improvements persisted even at the 12-month mark, especially in burnout rates, overall mental health, and reduced fatigue. Only job satisfaction rates started to inch back toward baseline after a year.
“Some people think, ‘This couldn’t work in America because we’re a workaholic country,’” Schor said. “But that’s a relatively modern development. For about a century, the [United States] was the world leader in work-time reduction. We were first to a five-day week.”
The Takeaway
But a four-day workweek isn’t a panacea. But this research shores up a compelling argument that this proposal is more than a surface-level, feel-good employee benefit.
Implemented properly, it can work as a structural intervention that can reinvigorate employee energy levels, improve overall performance, and support both their physical and psychological health.
The research team concludes with a call for policymakers and business leaders to think about scaling up the trials. Until then, companies looking to retain talent and support burned-out teams might want to start planning their own three-day weekends.
Further Reading
Employees Still Hesitant to Discuss Mental Health
Faking It At Work Is Harder Than It Looks
Work Hours, Sleep Sufficiency, and Prevalence of Depression Among Full-Time Employees
