Research indicates that transitioning to a four-day workweek leads to enhanced health outcomes.
In a trial conducted with various German businesses, decreasing the workweek to four days resulted in reduced stress among employees. As reported by consulting firm Intrapreneur, which spearheaded the project, employees indicated substantial enhancements in their mental and physical well-being. Surprisingly, the productivity and performance of these companies remained unaffected by the shorter working hours.
As of early this year, 41 out of 45 participating companies have either completed or nearly concluded the trial phase, according to Intrapreneur. The extent of these reduced hours varied among companies, with some providing 20% fewer weekly hours at the same salary, while others offered 10% fewer, and some even less. However, 85% of the companies granted their employees "a full day off each week."
Increased movement and family time
The switch to a four-day workweek led to a significant improvement in overall life satisfaction, primarily due to the newfound free time, explained Julia Backmann, the study’s scientific director. Prior to the project, 64% of employees expressed a desire to spend more time with their families; this figure later dwindled to 50%. Additionally, reduced working hours contributed to an increase in daily physical activity.
Employees with shorter workweeks slept approximately 5.3 extra hours per month (or 38 minutes per week) as compared to the control group. The prevalence of stress and burnout-related reports also plummeted significantly. The study mainly focused on the effects on employees, with the companies showing "slight increases" in profits and sales, but these increases were "not substantial" compared to the previous year. Potential productivity gains remain plausible, Backmann explained.
Interviews, fitness trackers, and hair tests
Both employees and managers often perceived an increase in productivity. Researchers conducted interviews, analyzed fitness tracker data, and scrutinized hair samples for cortisol, a stress hormone, as part of the study. Occasionally, only certain teams from companies participated in the pilot project, while other times, the entire staff did so.
The participating companies belonged to diverse sectors, including service, manufacturing, care, IT, and media, according to Intrapreneur. Unfortunately, two of the originally 45 companies were forced to withdraw due to financial difficulties or insufficient internal backing for the four-day workweek.
The success of offering a four-day week to employees led to a notable decrease in expressed desire for more family time, dropping from 64% to 50%. Furthermore, employees with shorter workweeks extensively benefited from an increase in daily physical activity.
