What you need to know about the 'revolutionary' 4-day work week trial

The last few years have changed both where we work and how we work. Now, we might also see changes to when we work!?The initial trial of the 4-day work week has concluded and the results are fascinating. A resounding 92% of organisations involved have decided to continue the trial, with 30% deciding to skip to the end and make the changes permanent. The research, conducted by the University of Cambridge, has gathered national attention after the researchers claimed the results of their project could be the catalyst for a shift in attitudes around how we work.

The results are undeniably impressive. Here are some our key takeaways from the trial:

Business outcomes

• 35% increase in revenue (on previous year)
• 1.5% increase in revenue from start to end of the trial
• Self-reported average of 75% for business performance and productivity

HR

• 57% reduction in staff turnover (on previous year)
• 55% of employees reported an improved ability to work
• 15% of employees reported no amount of money could motivate them to leave to a 5-day work week employer

Wellbeing

• 71% of employees reported less burnout
• 43% of employees reported improved mental health
• 73% of employees reported improved work-life balance

Social Responsibility

• Parenting time by men increased at double the rate of women, facilitating gender equality
• Reduced commuting time contributes to Net Zero targets

It’s clear the research has produced some promising results. If consistent, organisations could expect to see reduced recruitment costs and happier, more productive employees. This was especially true for women, who reported larger improvements than men for mental health, job satisfaction, life satisfaction and burnout, whilst household responsibilities like housework and childcare saw the burden more equally shared. For organisations committed to creating more diverse and inclusive workplaces, the 4-day work week may be a positive step forward.

Positive results were also observed regardless of organisation size or industry. Whilst some benefits were more prevalent that others, the research suggests that the 4-day work week can lead to improvements in both small and large organisations, across many industries and across all demographics.

However, many employers are understandably sceptical. In fact, research by Qualtrics found that 53% of senior leaders fear a 4-day work week would negatively impact revenue and sales, and whilst the results of the trial look promising, there are areas of concern that still need reassurance.

In the world of hybrid working, ‘productivity’ has become king. The UK has fallen behind many other large economies for the amount of value created per worker, meaning we are less productive than many of our counterparts. This may not be surprising considering 85% of UK workers do not feel engaged with their workplace, but it’s a big concern for employers. With productivity being historically difficult to measure, the impact of the 4-day work week on productivity is somewhat unknown. After 3 years of turbulence, convincing employers to take the risk may be a step too far.

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Whist it's safe to say the 4-day work week is not here quite yet, this research does appear to have re-sparked the conversation. The introduction of the 4-day week could affect all of us, so we’d love to hear what you think. Could this be one change too many? Do you think your productivity would be affected, either positively or negatively, by a shorter week? And perhaps the most important question, do you think employers could be convinced that paying their staff 100% of their salary for 80% of their time is the way forward?