9 Surprising Pros and Cons of the Shorter Work Week

The concept of the shorter workweek has been making waves globally, and for good reason. Statistics show a strong preference for work time reduction. A 2023 Dive Research survey revealed that 56% of employees would rather have a compressed 40-hour work week in four days. Our latest survey found that 3 in 5 employees would prefer a shorter workweek, even if it means working fully in the office.

As someone who worked closely with diverse organizations across industries to help them design and implement shorter workweek trials, I’ve seen firsthand how this model can transform workplaces. Yet, it’s not without its hurdles; there are pros and cons to the shorter work week. Poorly planned or executed models can lead to frustration and setbacks rather than the success that made headlines.

While the benefits of happier and more motivated employees are often mentioned, there’s so much more beneath the surface. When done right, reduced-hour schedules unlock not only efficiency and wellbeing but also organizational innovation and environmental impact.

In this article, I’ll share six impactful advantages of a shorter work week, along with three noteworthy considerations based on my years of hands-on experience and in-depth research in the field.

Six Potential Shorter Work Week Benefits

As a business leader, you need solid evidence before committing to such a significant shift. That’s totally understandable! 

Here are six reasons why a shorter workweek structure deserves serious consideration:

1. Enhance Employee Wellbeing and Satisfaction

Beyond the obvious perk of an extra day off, reduced-hour schedules cultivate an environment for employees to feel healthier, happier, and more valued. 

Burnout is a major issue in traditional work models, particularly in roles with high demands. It undermines both productivity and employee wellbeing. In fact, 14.5% of employees report being trapped in a cycle of burnout and inefficiency. They struggle to complete their tasks during regular hours, leading to low productivity and frequent overtime, which exacerbates the problem.

The four-day workweek tackles these underlying issues, such as unsustainable workloads and poor resource management, by encouraging a fundamental redesign of work processes. As a result, you have an opportunity to offer employees a better work and life experience.

Research and real-world trials on the four-day workweek back this up with consistent turnaround results on lower employees’ stress levels and higher job satisfaction.

2. Improved Work-Life Balance

Work-life balance is often seen as a buzzword, but indeed, it’s the backbone of a healthy, engaged workforce. The shorter workweek redefines this balance, offering employees not just more time off but the freedom to lead fuller, more satisfying lives.

For many, the extra time allows them to catch up on rest, pursue personal hobbies, or strengthen meaningful beyond-work relationships. 

The approach of a shortened workweek gives employees back time to spend on what matters most to them.

3. Cost Savings

One less day of operations each week doesn’t cut your office renting budget but considerably contributes to savings on commuting subsidies, office maintenance expenses, and operational costs.

More importantly, a shorter workweek forces organizations to rethink how time is spent. Companies often uncover costly inefficiencies during this process, such as overlapping responsibilities and bloated workflows, which is critical to avoiding waste of time and resources.

4. Increase Employee Productivity

The traditional notion that more hours mean more output has been debunked time and again. Experiments worldwide prove that there is either no loss or greater productivity gains with the 4-day workweek programs. 

A shorter workweek flips this outdated mindset, proving that working smarter, not harder, is the real key to productivity. It pushes teams to work with greater focus, cutting out inefficiencies and prioritizing what truly drives results. Instead of stretching tasks to fill time, employees become more intentional, leading to higher productivity, better problem-solving, and stronger overall performance.

If that’s not convincing enough, 78.5% of employees said they’re highly motivated to find ways to work more effectively in exchange for reduced work hours, with 40.5% rating their motivation a perfect 10/10, according to our latest study.

5. Drives Innovation and Process Improvement

A shorter workweek doesn’t mean working less but working smarter by restructuring tasks, improving systems, and streamlining processes. 

Instead of seeing fewer hours as a limitation, companies that embrace this model optimize workflows, eliminate inefficiencies, and leverage technology to maintain or even enhance performance. This is especially evident in industries like manufacturing, supply chain management, and customer service, where productivity is traditionally linked to long hours and volumed outputs.

Take the old-but-gold Toyota Gothenburg as an example. When implementing a six-hour workday a decade ago, they didn’t just reduce hours but redesigned job roles and introduced process improvements to make every hour more effective for both employees and customers. Not only do “staff feel better, there is low turnover, and it is easier to recruit new people,” they could also increase profit by 25%.

By necessity, the time constraint pushed companies to rethink traditional workflows and “be out of the box” with innovative ways to deliver ‘real’ productivity. In the age of AI and new possibilities of automation, imagine how much we could do more with less and make reduced-hour workweek a reality.

6. Environmental Benefits

Besides the advantages for employees and businesses, a shorter workweek also supports a more sustainable planet. As awareness of environmental impact grows, especially among younger generations, this model provides ecological benefits that align with corporate sustainability goals.

• Reduced commuting emissions: Fewer workdays mean fewer commutes, leading to a measurable drop in carbon emissions. For employees who drive or use public transportation, this translates to lower fuel consumption and reduced traffic congestion. The cumulative impact across an entire workforce can significantly shrink an organization’s carbon footprint.
• Lower office energy consumption: Operating fewer days naturally reduces energy use from lighting, heating, cooling, and office equipment. Even one less day per week can lead to meaningful savings in both energy consumption and costs.
• Encouraging pro-environmental behaviors: With more free time, employees are better positioned to make sustainable choices. They can spend time outdoors, explore eco-friendly products, or prepare home-cooked meals instead of takeouts for a healthier and greener lifestyle. 

Three Potential Disadvantages of a Shorter Work Week 

Despite its growing appeal, the four-day workweek isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. While it has delivered remarkable benefits in many organizations, poor design and implementation could cause more problems than they solve, leading to more stress, operational hiccups, and client service disruptions. 

Here are three common pitfalls and how to overcome them:

1. Longer Workdays Can Backfire

There are various ways to offer a shorter workweek, but not every approach translates to a genuinely reduced work schedule. 

Although the idea aims to enhance work-life balance, it could manifest as condensing 40 hours into four extended days. This arrangement may lead to 10-hour shifts that are mentally and physically draining, particularly for roles that require sustained focus or customer interaction.

Employees may find themselves more exhausted at the end of each day, struggling with reduced concentration and energy levels. Over time, this undermines productivity rather than improving it, as long hours lead to diminishing returns.

Additionally, longer workdays can potentially disrupt childcare, commuting routines, and personal schedules, making it harder for employees to manage their time outside of work. While many employees appreciate the compressed schedule (as referenced earlier), it doesn’t work for everyone on the team. That’s why it’s essential to listen to your employees and carefully weigh different options to ensure the strategy remains inclusive and beneficial for most.

2. Client & Customer Service Gaps

A four-day workweek can create misalignment with client expectations, service availability, and industry norms. 

In sectors where five-day to 24/7 availability is standard, reducing operational hours risks delayed responses, slower project timelines, and potential revenue loss. If your company is in consulting, legal services, or customer support, you’ll likely recognize this challenge firsthand.

A shortened workweek without proper restructuring can lead to operational bottlenecks, leaving teams struggling to meet client demands within a compressed timeframe. 

To mitigate this, consider staggered schedules for continuous coverage and asynchronous communication etiquette for alignment. When stakeholders and partners maintain traditional five-day schedules, it’s also important to set mutual expectations to prevent misalignment and ensure seamless collaboration.

3. Conflict with Traditional Work Norms

The four-day workweek clashes with long-standing leadership perceptions that equate productivity with time spent working. 

Many executives and middle managers, shaped by decades of traditional work structures, may resist the idea that fewer hours can deliver the same or better results. This mindset gap can create uncertainty, friction, and uneven workloads across teams.

Although research shows that busyness does not equal productivity, workplaces have reached a tipping point where employees spend 41% of their time on tasks that are “low-value, repetitive or lack meaningful contribution to their core job functions,” according to a 2024 Slack Workforce Index. 

To bridge this divide, leaders need clear productivity metrics that shift the focus from time spent to outcomes achieved. Setting clear weekly priorities, updating progress, and fostering trust-based management can help managers feel more in control. 

Additionally, training in asynchronous collaboration, delegation, and output-based performance reviews ensures that oversight doesn’t default to micromanagement.

Four-Day Workweek Trial Results

Need more real-world data on how a four-day workweek performs in practice? These global trials provide compelling evidence of its impact on businesses and employees alike.

United Kingdom

A large-scale UK trial involved 61 companies and around 2,900 workers from June to December 2022. A follow-up study found that 92% of participating companies continued the 4DWW, with 18 companies making it a permanent change. 

Employees reported better mental and physical health, lower stress, and higher job satisfaction. Meanwhile, companies experienced an average of 35% increase in revenue year-over-year and a 57% drop in employee turnover.

Australia – Medibank

In 2024, Medibank, a leading Australian health insurer, expanded its 4DWW trial after a successful six-month pilot with 250 employees. The company adopted the 100:80:100 model: full pay, reduced hours, and unchanged productivity. 

The trial led to notable gains in employee engagement, job satisfaction, health, and work-life balance, all without compromising business performance.

United States – Exos

Exos, a corporate wellness coaching firm, ran a six-month 4DWW trial from July to December 2023. A Wharton School analysis in early 2024 found that employee turnover dropped from 47% to 29%, while burnout rates fell from 70% to 36%. 

Productivity also soared, with 91% of employees reporting effective time use, up from 67% before the trial. The company also saw a staggering 211% surge in its sales pipeline, reinforcing the business advantages of shorter workweeks.

Why the work week should be shorter

The evidence speaks for itself: a shorter workweek, when implemented effectively, brings far more benefits than challenges. Employees gain healthier work life, daily productivity is encouraged, and businesses unlock new efficiencies. Even the environmental impact is a compelling factor.

However, success depends on thoughtful execution. Companies that simply condense hours without rethinking workflows or throughout diagnosis risk setbacks. A well-designed shorter workweek isn’t about working less—it’s about working smarter.

With real-world trials consistently showing positive results, the momentum is building, and now is the best time to get on board. For companies ready to make the shift, we can help ease the process and drive better results through the right assessment, design, and execution. Book a free consultation with one of our experts here.

A Practical Guide to Building a Business Case for a Shorter Work Week

The five-day, 40-hour workweek has been the standard for over a century. But today’s workforce has the motivation, tools, and momentum to change that for good.

Businesses are under pressure to boost productivity, retain top talent, and prevent burnout, all while staying competitive in an evolving market. Employees are overwhelmed with work, engagement is dropping, and the turnover rate is expensive. 

Something has to give.

What if we could encourage the culture of doing more with less, foster a better work-life balance, and cultivate sustainable productivity within organizations? That’s basically the idea behind shorter workweek programs.

In this guide, I’ll share how to create a compelling business case for a shorter workweek with practical tips to increase the chance of success, just as we’ve helped companies worldwide across industries to transform with satisfaction.

Why Businesses Are Implementing a Shorter Work Week

The momentum for the four-day workweek continues to grow, as companies that adopted it early and government-supported trials report more positive results than drawbacks. And most companies tend to stick with this model after their trials.

Here are some key reasons why a shorter workweek makes business sense:

Employee Well-Being and Productivity Go Hand in Hand

Long hours don’t guarantee better results. In fact, research shows the opposite: overworked employees experience higher stress, lower engagement, and declining productivity.

Companies that have adopted shorter workweeks report sharper focus, greater efficiency, and a noticeable boost in job satisfaction. That’s because making fewer hours work requires more than just cutting a day. They had to go through a thorough process of rethinking workflows, redesigning systems, and adopting a new mindset that prioritizes both wellbeing and performance.

Employees are on board, too: 78.5% of employees said they are highly motivated to improve efficiency in order to work fewer hours, according to our Rethinking Work Week study.

When your teams are healthier and happier, productivity follows. And that should be the goal for any business looking to improve performance.

A Competitive Edge in Talent Attraction and Retention

In a competitive labor market, organizations must offer more than just competitive salaries. 

Flexible work arrangements, including shorter workweeks, have become a major differentiator. In fact, a 2023 Drive Research study revealed that 66% of employees consider a shorter work week an attractive perk when considering a job offer.

Employees value time just as much as compensation, and companies that prioritize work-life balance gain an edge in attracting and retaining top talent.

Environmental and Economic Benefits

Shorter workweeks don’t just benefit employees; they can also reduce business costs and support sustainability. Studies link reduced work hours to lower energy consumption, fewer commuting emissions, and more time for employees to engage in eco-friendly activities.

Forward-thinking organizations recognize that reducing work hours can align with corporate sustainability goals while also improving operational efficiency.

For more, check out our blog on 9 Surprising Pros and Cons of the Shorter Work Week.

Getting Company Stakeholders Onboard

Shifting to a shorter workweek is more than a scheduling change. It requires a fundamental rethink of how work gets done across the organization. 

You might need to reframe the conversation from ‘working less’ to working better to bring leadership, managers, and employees on this meaningful journey.

Break the Conventional Norms of Productivity

Leadership buy-in is essential, but one of the biggest challenges in adopting a shorter workweek is breaking the long-held belief that productivity is tied to hours worked. Many organizations hesitate to embrace a four-day workweek because they fear it will lead to unfinished tasks, delayed responsiveness, and lower output.

That’s why it is fundamentally important to redefine productivity and alter the measurements from hours worked to outcomes and value. 

Moreover, data consistently shows that well-rested, engaged employees perform better, innovate more, and stay longer with their companies. 

The best way to convince leadership is with concrete data from companies that have already made the shift. A well-planned pilot program can generate internal evidence that supports long-term adoption. Executives are more likely to support change when they see it as a strategic advantage, not just a cultural experiment.

Empower Managers to Lead the Transition

Managers play a crucial role in making a shorter workweek successful. They are the bridge between leadership vision and daily execution to ensure that teams maintain the expected outcomes while transitioning to a shortened schedule.

Research indicates that some managers appreciate the four-day workweek as it offers a structured approach to flexibility. But not every team functions the same way. You might want to consider giving managers more control over adaptation by having the flexibility to select the most suitable reduced-hours model for their team.

Moreover, many teams already spend too much time in unnecessary meetings, dealing with communication overload, or navigating outdated processes. Therefore, collaborate closely with team leaders to pinpoint bottlenecks and enhance workflows.

Engaging Employees as Active Participants

A common pitfall is assuming employees will automatically embrace a shorter workweek. In reality, they need clarity on how it will work, what’s expected of them, and how their workload will be managed in the new schedules.

A shorter workweek must feel like a collaborative effort to optimize workflows and work smarter in fewer hours. Otherwise, you risk productivity stagnation. 

While there is a positive signal of employee motivation to improve efficiency, workplace norms around “busyness” and presenteeism must first be addressed in every company to make the four-day workweek a success.

The other best practice is to involve employees in identifying inefficiencies for improvement. However, this is only possible in a workplace culture that fosters open communication, psychological safety, and trust. When employees feel safe to challenge outdated processes and propose better ways of working, the transition to a shorter workweek becomes a shared goal to achieve. 

Starting with a Structured Pilot Program

As mentioned, a well-executed pilot program is the best way to reduce leadership skepticism, give managers confidence, and ensure employees adjust smoothly. It also provides real data to measure success before scaling the initiative. 

For a pilot to succeed:

• Set clear metrics to track performance: Align on success indicators such as KPIs, customer satisfaction rate, and employee engagement rate to measure the results of shorter workweek trials.
• Gather ongoing feedback: Employees and managers should have a platform and are encouraged to provide feedback during the experiment. You may find many helpful insights to refine the approach beyond the scores.
• Refine the program before broader implementation to more departments.

Addressing Common Concerns and Objections

In every conversation about the shorter workweek, the same concerns come up. Leaders worry about lost productivity, unhappy customers, and disruptions to teamwork. 

These are fair questions, as any significant shift in workplace arrangements challenges long-standing norms. But in practice, these concerns for a shorter workweek rarely turn out to be deal breakers. 

Here are the most common objections and how they can be addressed:

Ensuring Productivity and Accountability in Fewer Hours

A shorter workweek forces a fundamental question: What really drives productivity? The fear of unfinished tasks, missed deadlines, or declining efficiency often holds organizations back from making the shift. 

Besides a reassessment of what truly drives business performance as mentioned earlier, channel your efforts into maximizing employees’ energy, motivation, and efficiency instead of monitoring their activities.

There’s the elephant in the room we haven’t discussed enough about: how to prioritize tasks when time becomes more precious. Without structural changes, teams risk falling into the trap of cramming five days’ worth of work into four, leading to stress rather than efficiency gains.

Sometimes, the biggest gains come from eliminating low-value activities such as pointless meetings, fragmented communication, and unnecessary approval steps.

Maintaining Customer Satisfaction in a Shorter Workweek

Unlike the remote work shift during COVID, which happened universally, companies adopting shorter workweeks are still early adopters. Companies with customer-facing roles often found it more challenging to implement a four-day week due to fixed opening hours and performance metrics set by the board. 

However, many organizations have implemented staggered schedules to ensure customer support remains uninterrupted. Others rely on automation, asynchronous communication, and clearly defined service agreements to maintain responsiveness. 

That said, we need to structure schedules well and manage client expectations to maintain service levels. Customers care more about responsiveness and quality than whether someone is available at every hour of the traditional workweek.

Preserving Team Collaboration and Engagement

Fewer hours might mean fewer meetings, but that isn’t necessarily a drawback. Many teams already struggle with a “busyness culture” where constant availability is mistaken for productivity.

Collaboration doesn’t suffer when passive availability is replaced with intentional engagement. Instead of expecting employees to be perpetually online, you can establish structured collaboration windows, such as dedicated time scheduled for team alignment, brainstorming, and problem-solving. This creates space for deep work while ensuring essential discussions still happen.

The shift also requires trust. Employees need to feel empowered to make decisions and work autonomously without unnecessary check-ins. This is where leadership plays a crucial role in reinforcing that results, not visibility, define success. 

Case Studies of Successful Implementation

The transition to a four-day workweek is happening across industries. Here are some great examples to demonstrate how organizations, from high-growth tech firms to manufacturing plants and global enterprises, have navigated this transition:

Example 1: Workflow Redesign

A Canadian software company I worked with initially feared that a four-day workweek would lead to rushed deadlines and unfinished projects. But as we analyzed their operations, it became clear that work was being diluted across unnecessary meetings, fragmented communication, and inefficient workflows. 

Instead of merely reducing hours, we guided the company through a structured redesign: eliminating redundancies, tightening project cycles, and adopting asynchronous collaboration tools. 

The results were striking: productivity stabilized, employees reported feeling more focused, and the company saw a measurable improvement in talent retention. 

What started as a time reduction initiative evolved into a complete recalibration of how work was structured, proving that when done right, a shorter workweek could turn into a business advantage.

Example 2: Smarter Use of Resources

For an Ohio-based custom motorhome manufacturer, traditional thinking suggested that reducing hours would mean cutting output. Yet the company’s leadership identified a different approach: reworking how labor and machinery were utilized. 

Instead of operating on rigid shifts, they introduced new scheduling models where employees could oversee multiple machines in staggered rotations. The shift in structure allowed them to maintain production levels while reducing hours, creating a better work-life balance without sacrificing operational efficiency. 

What was once seen as an industry limitation turned into a competitive advantage: turnover decreased, job satisfaction climbed, and talent attraction improved in an industry often struggling with retention.

Example 3: Large-Scale Work Time Reduction

One of the most compelling large-scale examples comes from Unilever’s work-time reduction trials in New Zealand and Australia. 

Unlike smaller firms that can pivot quickly, Unilever had to tailor its approach to fit multiple operational models across supply chain, logistics, and office-based roles. 

Rather than enforcing a rigid structure, leadership focused on working smarter, not just less. Teams cut back on non-essential projects, streamlined meetings, and adopted centralized collaboration tools to stay efficient. The shift wasn’t about squeezing the same work into fewer days but about eliminating inefficiencies that had been slowing teams down.

The results spoke for themselves: stress levels dropped 33%, absenteeism fell by 34%, and employees reported feeling more energized. Business performance stayed strong, and 100% of stakeholders confirmed that work quality and deadlines remained intact.

Creating Your Business Case for a Shorter Work Week

The question isn’t whether a shorter workweek can work but how to make it work for your business. I hope this guide provides you with practical tips and best practices to make a good business case, gain leadership buy-in, and take the first step toward work time reduction.And you don’t have to do it all alone. We have helped hundreds of companies from various industries improve their working processes, design shorter working week trials, and train teams for successful four-day workweek pilots. Ready to explore what’s possible? Book a free consultation with one of our experts here.