After Implementing a 4-Day Workweek, Thoughts of Quitting Disappeared

According to the research results released on the 22nd by a team from Boston University in the United States, in a 4-day workweek experiment involving over 2,800 participants from about 140 companies in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and other 6 countries, the average weekly working hours decreased by about 4.6 hours from 39.12 hours to 34.48 hours.

In particular, the group that reduced their weekly working hours by more than 8 hours showed the most significant changes in all areas, including reduced burnout, improved work efficiency, and improved mental health. The effects were clear even when compared to 285 employees from 12 companies that maintained the traditional 5-day workweek during the same period.

The researchers analyzed that the improvement in fatigue and sleep issues was a major cause. The background of the improvement in job satisfaction included improved work ability (19.6%), reduced fatigue (8.4%), and improved sleep (7.8%), with fatigue alleviation having the largest impact on reducing burnout at 48.1%.

This survey was conducted amid the need to reassess the existing work system due to the spread of remote work and increased stress after the COVID-19 pandemic. All companies participating in the experiment for six months implemented the 4-day workweek without wage cuts.

However, the research team pointed out the limitations of the possibility that organizations voluntarily participating in the experiment approached it with positive expectations and the subjectivity issue due to the self-reporting method. Nevertheless, the study emphasized that "the reduction of working hours can be a practical option for companies and policymakers as it has a broad positive impact."