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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A pilot program in the U.K. found that the four-day workweek found that the four-day workweek was a huge success among participating companies, and that many will not return to the five-day standard.
More than 60 organizations participated in the study between June and December 2022. During that time, three organizations decided to pause the experiment and two were undecided on the shorter hours. But, the majority found gains in revenue, drops in turnover and fewer reports of employee burnout during the four-day workweek.
Companies were asked to rate their overall experience of the trial and reported an average of 8.5 out of 10, with business productivity and performance each scoring 7.5 out of 10. Companies also reported a 35 percent rise in revenue during the trial period compared to that of the previous year.
The trial also focused on the health and well-being of it's participants and found significant positive increases in both physical and mental health. Employees spent more time exercising and reported a rise in overall life and job satisfaction.
So would something like this work in Boston?
"Hopefully it will come to America, but I think not all of us will be able to enjoy that," Andres told WBZ's James Rojas. He says those working in certain fields like the law or medical fields may have problems switching to a four-day workweek.
The pilot program comes from the 4 Day Week Global Foundation, with a global team that includes Ashley Whillans, an assistant professor in the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit of Harvard Business School, and Juliet Schor, an economist and sociologist Professor with Boston College.
"Results are largest steady across workplaces of varying sizes, demonstrating this is an innovation which works for many types of organizations," Schor said. "There are also some interesting differences. We found that employees in non-profits and professional services had a largest average increase in time spent exercising, while those in construction/manufacturing enjoyed the largest reductions in burnout and sleep problems."
WBZ's James Rojas (@JamesRojasNews) reports
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