A year after the successful six-month 4-day week pilot programme, companies are still experiencing a decline in average working hours. Employees' workweek has further reduced to 32.97 hours from the baseline of 38 hours, primarily due to improved operational efficiency and continuous optimisation, rather than increased work intensity. 

The shorter week continues to garner positive feedback from workers, maintaining a consistent rating of 9/10 even after the trial's conclusion. Employees also reported improved self-rated physical and mental health measures, along with higher work-life balance scores, as indicated by a study conducted by the non-profit organisation 4 Day Week Global.

Lead researcher, Professor Juliet Schor of Boston College, revealed that life satisfaction scores remained stable, while job satisfaction showed a slight regression after a year.

Jon Leland, Chief Strategy Officer at Kickstarter, a US-based non-profit that implemented a 4-day week in 2021, stated that the most significant impact was on employee retention, with very few people choosing to leave the company since adopting the new work schedule.  

Dr Dale Whelehan, CEO of 4 Day Week Global said: “We’re delighted to see the positive experience people continue to have with the 4 day week beyond the conclusion of our pilot program. A concern we frequently hear is there’s no way the results from our six-month trials can be maintained, as the novelty eventually must wear off, but here we are a year later with benefits only continuing to grow.

The pilot is a 6-month trial of a 4-day week with full pay for employees, coordinated by 4 Day Week Global in partnership with researchers from Cambridge University and Boston College, along with local researchers in each region.