While the idea of a four-day week might fly in the face of the "American work ethic” — long hours, minimal vacation days — as espoused by the Trump administration in 2018, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has announced plans to introduce new legislation to enforce a four-day work week in the U.S. by 2028.
While the future of legislation surrounding a reduced working week remains to be seen, you can’t ignore the mounting evidence that cements the benefits of reducing the typical 40-hour work week.
And it’s not just beneficial to employees who are on the verge of burnout. There’s evidence — both formal and anecdotal — that employers and the economy could make huge financial gains by condensing the work week into four days, with no loss to earnings.
So, if negotiating a four-day week is part of your career plan for 2025, these are the data-backed arguments you can use when pleading your case with your boss or senior leadership team.
Move over harder, faster, stronger. Working smarter, not harder is the most applicable mantra for those who have moved to a four-day week.
According to research conducted by 4 Day Week Global, the organization that is pioneering four-day work week trials across the U.S., U.K., several European countries, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, productivity increases when the work week is reduced.
Microsoft Japan's experiment with a four-day workweek led to a 40 percent boost in productivity, while the U.K.'s four-day work week pilot recorded a 22 percent increase in productivity.
Reducing the work week to four days doesn’t just improve work-life balance because you have more time off work. From reduced commuting times, to being able to work out more, train for a marathon or even indulge your passion for painting or gardening, the extra hours a four-day week facilities can be used to positively impact your life.
In fact, 78 percent of employees felt happier and less stressed after switching to a four-day week. And with burnout and exhaustion affecting nearly 3 in 4 workers across the U.S. (73.65 percent), moving to a four-day week is one way to address the problem.
Absenteeism isn’t just bad for operational success, it’s also bad for employee morale and employee engagement. In the U.S., it’s estimated that absenteeism costs U.S. employers $3,600 per hourly employee, per year. However, the four-day work week trial in the U.K. found that a reduced working week lowered absenteeism by 65 percent.
While you’re not going to tell your boss a four-day week will make you call in sick less, it’s worth highlighting this as part of your overall argument.
Whether you work in finance, health care or tech, the bottom line is what keeps CFOs up at night, not your work-life balance or ability to tend to your garden.
That said, working smarter and not harder can be more lucrative overall and result in increased revenue and growth. For the approximately 30 U.S. companies that have already taken part in the four-day week pilot scheme, revenue increased by 37.55 percent compared to the same period in the previous year, and overall revenue was up by 8 percent.
By facilitating a four-day week, top talent who may not have the capacity to work over five days, but could work over four days, could be tapped into.
Additionally, workers who are close to burnout and are actively looking for a new job that facilitates greater work life balance might be more likely to stay put if a four-day week was offered.
However, if your boss is refusing to consider a four-day week, it could be time to start weighing up your options.
