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Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Boost in job satisfaction, health: four-day work week benefits
Working less could give us more, a new study suggests. Four-day work weeks without a reduction in income are found to boost workers' job satisfaction and physical and mental health, driven by enhanced work performance, lower levels of fatigue and fewer sleep problems, new research suggests. The findings, published in Nature Human Behaviour, highlight the potential for organisations and policymakers to improve employee well-being by re-evaluating workplace hours. Initiatives that reduce working hours — such as a six-hour workday or a 20% reduction in working time — have recently been trialled around the world. For example, the 4 Day Week Global initiative has run trials in many countries, with participation from about 375 companies, to understand how a shortened work week — without a reduction in pay — can result in a better working environment. To test the effects of the four-day work week (with no reduction in worker pay) intervention, Wen Fan, Juliet Schor and colleagues conducted six-month trials that involved 2896 employees across 141 organisations in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland and the USA. Using survey data, they compared work- and health-related indicators (including burnout, job satisfaction, mental and physical health) before and after the intervention. They also compared these outcomes with those from 285 employees at 12 companies that did not trial the intervention. Fan and colleagues found that after the four-day work week intervention, there was a reduction in average working hours of about five hours per week. Employees with a reduction of eight hours or more per work week self-reported experiencing larger reductions in burnout and improvements in job satisfaction and mental health, as compared with those at companies that maintained a five-day workweek. Similar, though smaller, effects were observed among employees with between one and four hour and five and seven hour reductions in their work week. These benefits were partially explained by a reduced number of sleeping problems and levels of fatigue, and improved individual work ability. The authors suggest that shorter work weeks and reduced working hours without a reduction in salary can help to improve job satisfaction and worker health. They note that a key limitation of the study was companies self-selecting to participate, and resulted in a sample that consists predominantly of smaller companies from English-speaking countries. — Science Media Centre
The Independent
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
A four-day work week improves productivity and health, new study shows
A landmark study by Boston College, in collaboration with 4 Day Week Global, has found significant benefits to a four-day work week without pay reduction. The research, involving over 100 companies and nearly 2,900 workers across several countries including the UK, revealed high satisfaction for both employers and employees. Key positive outcomes included improved productivity, revenue growth, better physical and mental health for workers, and reduced stress and burnout. Companies maintained productivity by cutting low-value activities like excessive meetings, while employees used their extra day off for personal appointments, leading to lower healthcare costs and reduced turnover. While not suitable for all industries, the study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, indicates that the positive effects of the four-day week persisted six months after the trials concluded.
Newsweek
21-07-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Thousands of Workers Tried a 4-Day Week—the Impact on Their Health Was Clear
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A four-day workweek with no reduction in pay improves both workers' health and overall job performance and satisfaction, according to a new study. Working norms were reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago, making remote work a necessity for some amid lockdowns. But it also exposed widespread burnout and disengagement among workers across most markets. In response, some companies began offering reduced hours with full pay. Initiatives like '4 Day Week Global' are aimed at reshaping post pandemic work to meet employees' needs without compromising their companies' interests. The study—led by Boston College researchers Wen Fan and Juliet Schor—tracked 2,896 employees across 141 organizations worldwide over a six months period, to understand the effects of the new scheme on their physical and mental health. The team found that workers whose days were cut by eight hours or more reported the most substantial improvements—which came in the form of reduced mental strain and improved physical health. Smaller reductions also had positive effects. A stock image shows some work colleagues having a laugh over a cup of coffee at their desk. A stock image shows some work colleagues having a laugh over a cup of coffee at their desk. getty images The trial included subjects in the United States, as well as Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The researchers analyzed changes in burnout, fatigue, sleep quality and work performance resulting from the change to the working week. Employees switching to a four-day week were compared with those at 12 companies that kept the traditional five-day model. Workers in the four-day trail reported higher levels of physical and mental well-being than those who worked five days a week. A similar study was previously conducted in 2022 in the United Kingdom, where over 3,300 employees at 73 companies participated in a six-month trial aimed at testing the effectiveness and productivity of a four-day workweek. It was found that the four-day workweek did not generate a loss of productivity—in fact, it actually improved productivity in some cases. While 46 percent of leaders reported stable levels of productivity, 34 percent said it "increased slightly." The authors of the new study acknowledged some key limitations in their methodology, including the fact that the companies involved opted in voluntarily and that most were smaller firms based in English-speaking countries only. The researchers recommend randomized, government-backed trials be conducted in future to assess shortened workweeks on a larger scale. Do you have a health story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about the four-day workweek trial? Let us know via health@ Reference Fan, W., Schor, J. B., Kelly, O., & Gu, G. (2025). Work time reduction via a 4-day workweek finds improvements in workers' well-being. Nature Human Behaviour.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
200+ global companies swear by the 4-day work week: Here's why it's a win-win for employers and employees
For a workforce that constantly worships burnout and applauds employees who routinely trade their sleep and sanity to hit those "numbers," the four-day workweek is a dream come true. However, what if we told you that it's not just employees but employers who are reaping the benefits too? Yes, you read that right. A recent report by a renowned American newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, unearthed a survey that sheds light on gains at both ends. The study, which involved 245 businesses and more than 8,700 workers, revealed that even employers are profiting from the shift. The four-day workweek is not merely a pipe dream, it's a practical, data-backed antidote to an exhausted workforce. The transformative shift in work culture post-pandemic has peeled back long-standing assumptions, none more archaic than the five-day, 40-hour workweek. With mounting evidence that fewer workdays not only safeguard mental health but also fortify business outcomes, the world now stands at the threshold of a labour revolution. A system built for yesterday The five-day work week is considered to be a thing of the past, an obsolete strategy. Coined in the industrial age to stem factory fatigue, the model took root nearly a century ago when assembly lines, not algorithms, dictated the tempo of the work. However, talking of today's economy- fluid, digital, and mentally taxing is a far cry from Fordist factories. And yet, despite an unprecedented alteration in industry and lifestyle, the work calendar adamantly says 'no' to evolving. 'It's long overdue,' said Joe Ryle, campaign director of the UK-based 4 Day Week Campaign, told The Guardian that '9-5, the five-day working week was invented 100 years ago and is no longer fit for purpose. We are long overdue for an update.' The data doesn't lie Economist Juliet B. Schor of Boston College, lead researcher with 4 Day Week Global, recently studied over 245 organizations in countries including the US, UK, Brazil, and Ireland, that piloted a four-day workweek over the past three years mentioned the findings in The Wall Street Journal . The results were resounding: 70% of workers reported reduced burnout 40% noted improved mental health 37% experienced better physical health These pilots involved 8,700 employees globally and typically ran for six months. Most employers saw not just sustained productivity, but improved bottom-line metrics, including higher revenue and lower resignation rates. So persuasive were the outcomes that over 90% of companies that began trials in mid-2023 were still following the four-day workweek a year later (The Wall Street Journal, Source 1). The 100-80-100 model : A quiet revolution At the heart of the four-day week movement is the '100-80-100' model: Workers receive 100% of their pay for 80% of the time, while delivering 100% productivity. This model, championed by the global nonprofit 4 Day Week Global, originated in Germany in 2023 and has already shown success in Spain, Portugal, the UK, and parts of Scandinavia. The philosophy is not about working less, but about working smarter—eliminating unnecessary meetings, redesigning workflows, and aligning output with clear metrics. Tech companies have led the charge. Civo, a cloud computing firm, piloted a four-day week in 2020 and made it permanent by 2021. Similarly, Kickstarter, which adopted a four-day week in 2021, reported a 50% increase in employee engagement. What the workers want Despite resistance from some corporate walls, employees are decisively and strongly aligning toward this emerging reform. A LiveCareer survey conducted in January 2024 polled 1,130 American workers and found: 70% support a four-day week, even if it means working longer hours each day. The majority predicted higher productivity and better work-life balance as a result. In the UK, the movement has gone further: At least 200 companies have permanently adopted the model with no loss of pay. This includes firms across technology, marketing, consulting, social care, and NGOs, with 59 companies based in London alone. India: Overworked and overdue India has long championed overwork, with renowned business tycoons floating the 70-hour and 90-hour workweeks. A notion of a day work week seems to be a distant thought. No wonder, the country also reports the highest levels of job-related stress globally, and its large youth demographic is pushing back against burnout culture. If overlooked, this may lead to a talent exodus rather than an economic dividend. Unlike the UK, there is no formal policy initiative or widespread pilot in India yet. However, the global tide may soon touch the shores of the country. Whenever it does, the government and industries will be expected to equally shoulder the responsibility of maintaining equity across white-collar and blue-collar sectors. The real victory: A life beyond work To shrug off the four-day workweek as a 'privilege' is to fundamentally misunderstand its very purpose. It is not just about an extra day off. It is about bestowing people the time to volunteer, care for family, engage in community, and rediscover self-worth beyond paychecks. It is about restructuring work not to dominate life, but to nourish it. The five-day grind is not sacrosanct. It is a saga that tells the story of the past. The data is in, the benefits are tangible, and the demand is swelling. Perhaps the real progress can be weighed not in the hours we clocked in, but how wisely we choose to pause. 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Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Four day work week: Not just a worker's fond hope, but a surprising win for employers too
For a workforce that constantly worships burnout and applauds employees who routinely trade their sleep and sanity to hit those "numbers," the four-day workweek is a dream come true. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, what if we told you that it's not just employees but employers who are reaping the benefits too? Yes, you read that right. A recent report by a renowned American newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, unearthed a survey that sheds light on gains at both ends. The study, which involved 245 businesses and more than 8,700 workers, revealed that even employers are profiting from the shift. The four-day workweek is not merely a pipe dream, it's a practical, data-backed antidote to an exhausted workforce. The transformative shift in work culture post-pandemic has peeled back long-standing assumptions, none more archaic than the five-day, 40-hour workweek. With mounting evidence that fewer workdays not only safeguard mental health but also fortify business outcomes, the world now stands at the threshold of a labour revolution. A system built for yesterday The five-day work week is considered to be a thing of the past, an obsolete strategy. Coined in the industrial age to stem factory fatigue, the model took root nearly a century ago when assembly lines, not algorithms, dictated the tempo of the work. However, talking of today's economy- fluid, digital, and mentally taxing is a far cry from Fordist factories. And yet, despite an unprecedented alteration in industry and lifestyle, the work calendar adamantly says 'no' to evolving. 'It's long overdue,' said Joe Ryle, campaign director of the UK-based 4 Day Week Campaign, told The Guardian that '9-5, the five-day working week was invented 100 years ago and is no longer fit for purpose. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now We are long overdue for an update.' The data doesn't lie Economist Juliet B. Schor of Boston College, lead researcher with 4 Day Week Global, recently studied over 245 organizations in countries including the US, UK, Brazil, and Ireland, that piloted a four-day workweek over the past three years mentioned the findings in The Wall Street Journal . The results were resounding: 70% of workers reported reduced burnout 40% noted improved mental health 37% experienced better physical health These pilots involved 8,700 employees globally and typically ran for six months. Most employers saw not just sustained productivity, but improved bottom-line metrics, including higher revenue and lower resignation rates. So persuasive were the outcomes that over 90% of companies that began trials in mid-2023 were still following the four-day workweek a year later (The Wall Street Journal, Source 1). The 100-80-100 model : A quiet revolution At the heart of the four-day week movement is the '100-80-100' model: Workers receive 100% of their pay for 80% of the time, while delivering 100% productivity. This model, championed by the global nonprofit 4 Day Week Global, originated in Germany in 2023 and has already shown success in Spain, Portugal, the UK, and parts of Scandinavia. The philosophy is not about working less, but about working smarter—eliminating unnecessary meetings, redesigning workflows, and aligning output with clear metrics. Tech companies have led the charge. Civo, a cloud computing firm, piloted a four-day week in 2020 and made it permanent by 2021. Similarly, Kickstarter, which adopted a four-day week in 2021, reported a 50% increase in employee engagement. What the workers want Despite resistance from some corporate walls, employees are decisively and strongly aligning toward this emerging reform. A LiveCareer survey conducted in January 2024 polled 1,130 American workers and found: 70% support a four-day week, even if it means working longer hours each day. The majority predicted higher productivity and better work-life balance as a result. In the UK, the movement has gone further: At least 200 companies have permanently adopted the model with no loss of pay. This includes firms across technology, marketing, consulting, social care, and NGOs, with 59 companies based in London alone. India: Overworked and overdue India has long championed overwork, with renowned business tycoons floating the 70-hour and 90-hour workweeks. A notion of a day work week seems to be a distant thought. No wonder, the country also reports the highest levels of job-related stress globally, and its large youth demographic is pushing back against burnout culture. If overlooked, this may lead to a talent exodus rather than an economic dividend. Unlike the UK, there is no formal policy initiative or widespread pilot in India yet. However, the global tide may soon touch the shores of the country. Whenever it does, the government and industries will be expected to equally shoulder the responsibility of maintaining equity across white-collar and blue-collar sectors. The real victory: A life beyond work To shrug off the four-day workweek as a 'privilege' is to fundamentally misunderstand its very purpose. It is not just about an extra day off. It is about bestowing people the time to volunteer, care for family, engage in community, and rediscover self-worth beyond paychecks. It is about restructuring work not to dominate life, but to nourish it. The five-day grind is not sacrosanct. It is a saga that tells the story of the past. The data is in, the benefits are tangible, and the demand is swelling. Perhaps the real progress can be weighed not in the hours we clocked in, but how wisely we choose to pause.
