Brighton, England — A four-day workweek benefits workers physically and mentally, results of a recent medical trial out of England show.
For three months, researchers from the University of Sussex followed 115 workers at the technology learning firm Thrive, which had a four-day workweek. They looked at MRI scans and blood tests and tracked participants’ sleep and productivity levels. The workers also completed a weekly questionnaire about workplace experience and well-being.
The workers reported experiencing a 21% rise in overall well-being, which includes less stress and emotional exhaustion.
Other findings:
- Sleep problems among the participants fell 20%.
- Perceived levels of exhaustion/burnout (14.7%), stress (8.6%) and anxiety (5%) all dropped.
- The workers reported an 11.4% increase in personal accomplishment.
Lead study author Charlotte Rae, an associate professor at Sussex, said the benefits could equate to life expectancy benefits over the long term.
According to the nonprofit 4 Day Week Campaign, nearly 200 British businesses have transitioned to a permanent four-day workweek.
However, one downside identified during the Thrive trial was the schedule’s effect on customer service.
Thrive has decided not to continue the four-day workweek schedule because the company found that it was difficult to operate on a different schedule than its clients. CEO Cassie Gasson told The Telegraph that the benefits for staff were “fantastic,” but operating on the same five-day schedule as customers is “essential when they’re operating more traditional ways of working.”
