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We bet everyone out there would prefer to work only four days a week instead of five, and it turns out, that many not be all that bad an idea. Several companies around the globe have been testing out the idea of a four-day work week and have discovered that it’s good for business.
A pilot program run by the non-profit 4Day Week Global finds that most companies are happy with the results of the shortened week. In fact, results show in the more than 70 UK companies that shifted to four-day schedules, 78% describe the transition as good or “seamless,” with only 2% saying it was challenging. What’s more, 88% say the shortened week is working well for them.
The program testing the four-day work week involves over 180 companies in a half-dozen countries. The companies moved to mostly 32-hour schedules, with employees seeing no reduction in pay. The UK program is currently at the half-way point, and 86% of those participating say they anticipate keeping the four-day schedule even after the test-run ends in November. And most see positive effects of the shortened week, with 49% saying they see improved productivity, and another 46% saying productivity has remained stable.
Carolyn McArdle talked about it on the air! Listen below...