Scientists summed up the results of the six-month test and concluded that the four-day work week has undeniable advantages.
Six months ago, in June 2022, a six-month trial regime of a four-day work week started in the UK. The study involved 61 British companies, writes IFL Science .
During the experiment, employees were reduced working hours by 20% without changing wages, and companies tracked employee performance. After 6 months of the experiment, the researchers are finally ready to take stock. After analyzing the data, they found that during the experiment, the well-being of employees significantly improved, employee retention also increased, and the number of diseases in general decreased during this period. However, the most surprising thing was that all this happened without compromising the bottom line of the companies.
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Note that the study was led by a group of scientists from the University of Cambridge, Boston College and the Autonomy think tank. In total, almost 3,000 people took part, working in a wide range of industries, including IT, financial services, healthcare and grocery stores.
The researchers note that already halfway through the trial, many companies reported positive interim results. By the way, the UK is not the only country in which such pilot projects have been carried out. Previously, similar experiments were also carried out in North America and Ireland – reports also turned out to be optimistic.
The researchers note that this study is one of the most comprehensive to date, and it also includes interviews with company executives and their employees. According to Dr. David Frain of the University of Cambridge, this experimental method allowed the researchers to go beyond the usual survey and study in detail how it can work directly on the ground – in companies.
The results of the study suggest that, compared to the start of the trial, 71% of employees reported lower burnout levels with a four-day work week, and 39% of employees said their stress levels had decreased. In addition, employees reported improved work-life balance:
