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Title: Science Confirms What We All Suspected: Four-Day Weeks Rule

Link: https://slashdot.org/story/25/07/22/2027203/s...

A six-month international study found that a four-day workweek with no
reduction in pay significantly improved employee well-being, job
satisfaction, and sleep quality, with burnout dropping most among those who
reduced their hours by eight or more. "The results indicate that income-
preserving four-day workweeks are an effective organizational intervention
for enhancing workers' well-being," the researchers said. The Register
reports: The study, reported in Nature Human Behaviour, was designed to test
the effects of the four-day workweek with no reduction in pay. It relied on a
six-month trial involving 2,896 employees in 141 organizations in Australia,
Canada, New Zealand, the UK, Ireland, and the US. The researchers compared
work and health-related indicators -- including burnout, job satisfaction,
and mental and physical health -- before and after the intervention using
survey data. A further 285 employees at 12 companies did not participate in
the trial and acted as a control. The researchers noted that the study was
limited in that companies volunteered to participate, and the sample
consisted of smaller companies from English-speaking countries. More
extensive government-sponsored trials might help provide a clearer picture,
they said. While several factors may explain the effect, one possibility is
"increased intrinsic motivation at work," the study said. "Unfortunately,
[we] cannot assess [this] due to data limitations." "Despite its limitations,
this study has important implications for understanding the future of work,
with 4-day workweeks probably being a key component. Scientific advances from
this work will inform the development of interventions promoting better
organization of paid work and worker well-being. This task has become
increasingly important with the rapid expansion of new digital, automation,
and artificial general intelligence technologies."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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