Shorter weekly work schedule may improve personal health and benefit the environment
In a groundbreaking study led by Wen Fan, an associate professor of sociology at Boston College, and Juliet Schor, the benefits of a four-day work week have been brought to light. The research, published in the prestigious journal Nature Human Behaviour, involved over 2,896 employees across 141 organisations in six countries - Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
The study spanned a six-month period, during which employees reported significant improvements in various aspects of their wellbeing, job satisfaction, and physical health. Here are the key findings:
## Mental Health and Burnout
One of the most promising outcomes was the reduction in burnout and improved mental health among employees. This decrease in burnout is crucial as it can significantly decrease stress and improve overall mental well-being. The study suggests that a four-day week can help mitigate the rising rates of depression and anxiety among workers.
## Physical Health
The improvement in physical health was another significant finding. With more time off, employees were able to engage in personal activities that enhance their physical well-being.
## Job Satisfaction
The study found significant improvements in job satisfaction. This improvement is linked to the fact that employees had to work fewer hours without a reduction in pay, which enhanced their work-life balance.
## Performance and Productivity
Contrary to fears that employees would have to work harder during their four-day weeks, the study found that they achieved similar productivity levels through more efficient use of time. This was achieved by reducing unnecessary meetings and using communication tools more effectively.
## Organizational Benefits
Employers also reaped benefits from the four-day work week, with reduced healthcare costs and lower employee turnover rates. This makes the four-day work week a viable strategy for retaining skilled workers, especially in fields like healthcare and teaching.
The group with an eight-hour reduction saw the largest benefits. Employees were given a reduction in their weekly working time of one to four hours, five to seven hours, or eight hours for a six-month trial. Over 90% of the companies involved in the trial continued the four-day work week after it ended.
The study's authors, Wen Fan and colleagues from Boston College and University College Dublin, are currently investigating the environmental impact of the four-day work week, including tracking the carbon footprint of some employees who volunteered. They are also investigating the potential impact of the four-day work week on creativity and idea generation.
The study highlights global trends where workers struggle with burnout, long work hours, and little time for themselves and their families. As Wen Fan, the study's author, believes, the four-day work week could be a potential way to reconstruct work arrangements to benefit workers and societies.
The 4 Day Week Global (4DWG) initiative, with participation from 375 companies worldwide, is one of the largest trials testing reduced hours. In the future, the researchers hope for government-sponsored trials to allow for more randomized studies.
- The study, led by Wen Fan and Juliet Schor, published in Nature Human Behaviour, also investigates the potential environmental impact of a four-day work week, tracking carbon footprints of participating employees.
- The study's authors are also exploring the influence of a four-day work week on creativity and idea generation as part of their ongoing research.
- The environmental science aspect of the study could potentially offer solutions for mitigating climate change, as the four-day work week may reduce collective carbon emissions.
- The improvement in mental health amongst employees, along with the decrease in burnout rates, can contribute positively to overall health and wellness both inside and outside the workplace.
- As part of the study, researchers from Boston College and University College Dublin are probing into the health-and-wellness benefits of a shortened workweek for various sectors, such as healthcare and teaching.
- In the future, larger-scale government-sponsored trials could be conducted to gather more substantial evidence on the workplace-wellness advantages of a four-day workweek through randomized studies, as part of the 4 Day Week Global (4DWG) initiative's efforts to bring about systemic change.
