Do 4-day workweeks work? Companies share their impact 1 year later

Dozens of companies who adopted a four-day workweek in 2022 share how it has affected the business and their employees one year later.

A four-day workweek may sound like a far-off dreamland, but a study out of the U.K. is proving it can be a long-term reality — and a benefit — for both businesses and their employees.

In 2022, 61 companies chose to move their employees to four-day weeks with no reduction in pay as part of the six-month study. One year later, 89% have continued the practice, and 51% have made it permanent for their businesses, according to the Autonomy research group.

But while employees get longer weekends, what's in it for their employers? Apparently, it's a better business, as 100% of managers and CEOs said the workweek shift still has a positive impact on their organization one year later. This comes as a result of happier workers, lower turnover rates and improved efficiency, the report says.

Plus, many staffers whose schedules were changed said those improvements in their physical and mental health have continued a year later, too. This was measured in terms of an improved work-life balance, a reduction in feelings of burnout and stress, better general life satisfaction and higher job satisfaction compared to before the study began. 

"The key point is that the strong findings at six months are not due to novelty or short-term impacts. These effects are real and long-lasting," said Juliet Schor, a Boston College professor whose research team led the quantitative work for the follow-up report.