Support for a four-day work week must be coupled with remote work, say most workers. Seventy-five per cent of workers say they would only be interested in a shorter work week if remote work is allowed all or nearly all of the time. Only 51 per cent of workers agree to a shorter work week if there is no possibility of remote work at all.

The MorningConsult survey defines a four-day workweek as working four days plus 10 hours a day.

Some 93 per cent of millennials and 88 per cent of Gen Xers lead the way in being interested in a shorter workweek. The survey also shows that four out of five millennials say that they are often too tired after work to enjoy their personal lives.

Gen Z are not as interested in changing workplace norms and baby boomers even less so.

Mprning Consult brand analyst Ellyn Briggs says, “Still, no demographic group reported interest and confidence levels below 70% again pointing to the practice’s widespread popularity.”

Over half the workers still want remote work in some way or other, whether it’s a hybrid form or full-time. The reason for this is to improve their commute, work-life balance and to avoid discomfort while working in the office.

Benefits of a four-day work week

Studies show that a four day work week allows people to

Increase their productivity

Reduce employee burnout

Improve employee retention

Increase sales

Lower operating costs

Better workplace culture

Having a flexible working schedule is a great incentive that helps keep employees motivated and engaged every single day of their career.

According to a LinkedIn poll by Randstad, some 72 per cent of people said they prefer to work four days a week even if their hours were a little longer.

However, the disadvantage of that is that it causes employees to fast-track their deliverables as they now only have four days to finish their work. This creates a risk of burnout.

In 2019, Microsoft Japan experimented with a project which gave its 2,300-strong workforce five consecutive Fridays off without decreased pay. The shortened weeks led to more efficient meetings, happier workers and higher productivity. This despite Japan being a country known for long working hours and strong work ethics.

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