The Surprising Benefits Of Working Four Days A Week

The big idea is to think about how work gets done in new and maybe unfamiliar ways to improve productivity and morale.

Previously published on Forbes

Leaders, it’s time to get more creative about the way you expect your team to work. 100 years ago, Henry Ford instituted a five-day, 40-hour workweek. “ The Covid-19 era ushered in broader acceptance of remote and hybrid work arrangements. Now, some employers, as well as policy makers, are exploring whether a shorter workweek can improve employee well-being and loyalty,” writes Vanessa Fuhrmans for The Wall Street Journal.

Implementing a four-day workweek with no reduction in pay for your team may sound like heresy. But it’s good for your people and it’s good for your business.

Autonomy Research, a UK based think-tank which focuses on the future of work, published findings from a trial in February 2023. They surveyed 61 companies and 2,900 employees in the U.K. to gather surprising data and conclusions. But it’s not only happening in the UK. Canadian and US companies are engaging in similar trials, as well as companies in Brazil and Australia. Something is going on. Here’s the bottom-line:

The benefits of a shorter working week with no reduction in pay…