4 Day Week — Four Day Work Week Study (2024)

In the quest for a better work-life balance, the idea of a four-day workweek has become increasingly appealing to companies worldwide. By working smarter, not harder, businesses aim to achieve the same results in less time, all while nurturing employee well-being and productivity.

So, let’s delve into the concept of the four-day workweek by examining four case studies. Through this analysis, we will uncover the implications and impacts of this innovative approach on today’s workforce.

Why Is the Four-day Work Week Becoming More Popular?

Studies demonstrate that the 4-day work plan has many benefits for employees and employers . These include the following:

• Improved work-life balance: You can have more time to attend to your private projects and spend quality time with friends and family.
• Competitive advantage for hiring: You can increase your chances of being hired as there are many companies with a 4-day work week schedule that values work-life balance and a flexible work system.
• Cost savings: You can save on commuting, parking, and other work-related expenses. Also, you can help employers save on costs such as maintenance, heating, electricity, etc.

Types of 4-Day Work Week Models

A four-day workweek has several forms, as shown below:

• 4/10 Model

In this approach, employees work a total of 40 hours a week. Rather than five eight-hour days, they work four ten-hour days.

• 4/8 Model

In this method, employees work four days a week, each with eight-hour shifts. A full-time employee completes a 32-hour workweek and enjoys a delightful three-day weekend.

Four Day Work Week Studies

Are you curious to see how some companies performed when implementing a four-day work schedule? The following sections delve into in-depth case studies to gain valuable insights.

1. The Wanderlust Group — Four-Day Week

The Wanderlust Group is a technology company operating in the marine and outdoor industries, facilitating connections between adventurers and various destinations.

With its apps and software being utilized by over 250,000 people across 15,000 destinations in more than 30 countries, the platform also offers travelers the convenience of booking accommodations.

In 2020, like many companies intrigued by a four-day workweek, the Wanderlust Group initiated a trial program to test its viability.

How the Wanderlust Group Structured the Four-Day Workweek?

To ensure the resounding success of the Wanderlust Group’s four-day workweek trial, the company adopted the following blueprint:

Workweek: The four-day workweek ran from Tuesday to Friday, granting employees three-day weekends that concluded on Mondays.

Hours: The working hours were maintained from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but were condensed into the four-day work schedule.

Compensation: Employees received regular annual salaries Despite working a shorter week. The company values productivity over hours spent.

Support: The Wanderlust Group established a dedicated support team, working on a rotational basis seven days a week to provide 24/7 customer support.

What were the Results of Introducing the Four-Day Workweek?

The Wanderlust Group’s transition to a compressed workweek yielded impressive results, showcasing remarkable growth in various aspects.

1. Revenue: The company experienced a significant revenue surge, driven by a substantial increase of 120% in accommodation bookings through the platform.

Here’s a summary of the Wanderlust Group’s Year-on-Year (YoY) results:

• Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR): ARR measures the yearly revenue a company expects to receive from its customers. The company had 99% growth.
• Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) (Year to date; YTD): It tracks the value of goods or services sold via an e-commerce platform. The company achieved a remarkable 99% growth in ARR.
• Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) (Trailing twelve months (TTM): It refers to figures that show a company’s revenue performance over the past year. It went up by 60%.
• Nights Booked for Accommodation through the Marketplace (YTD): It rose by 120%.

2. Staff Retention: Because of the 32-hour, 4-day work plan, the company retained its top talent.

Although the firm implemented the 4-day week temporarily during the pandemic, the change became permanent in 2021.

Pros and Cons of the Wanderlust Group’s 4-Day Work Week Trial

Pros

• Skyhigh revenue
• Improved staff retention
• Enhanced balance between work and life
• Efficient use of time
• Reduced stress levels
• Fewer meetings

Cons:

• The company had to attend to some issues on Monday

Four-Day Week Experiment of Goosechase

Goosechase is an online platform for organizers to create and run scavenger hunt games to encourage team building and learning.

To test the 4-day work schedule, the company introduced Flock Fridays from June until August 2021. Flock Fridays were Goosechase’s unique name for their 4-day workweek program, with Fridays being reserved for days off.

How Goosechase Structured the Four-Day Workweek

The company adopted the following blueprint:

Workweek: Goosechase’s 4-day work week ran from Monday to Thursday, offering employees three-day weekends.

Hours: The company maintained the 8-hour per day work schedule.

Compensation: Compensation remained the same as the organization didn’t want to link salaries with hours worked.

Support: It had a different work setup for its CX and sales to ensure customers received constant communication. However, the rest of the workers operated on a four-day work schedule.

What were the Results of Introducing the Four-Day Workweek?

Based on the company’s analysis of the shorter week’s impact on productivity and goals, it obtained the following outcomes below:

• While 21.4% of employees thought their productivity stayed the same, 78.6% thought their productivity increased.
• 64.3% of people reported that their team’s productivity had increased, while 35.7% felt their team’s productivity had stayed the same.

Meeting goals and targets

• 92.9% of people felt the program positively impacted their team’s ability to reach their goals. However, 7.1% claimed it had no impact.

• The majority (64.3%) of respondents said they only needed to work overtime occasionally to stay on track.
• A substantial number of people (35.7%) felt that overtime was required to remain on schedule more often than that.

On a scale of 1 (Never) — 5 (Always)

Pros and Cons of Goosechase’s 4-Day Work Week Trial

Pros:

• Improved productivity for employees and the company
• Achievement of individual goals.
• Employees felt refreshed after a long weekend
• Enhanced work/life balance

Cons:

• Increased workload during busy Q3 (third quarter)
• Difficult to implement for workers with customer-facing roles
• Some employees had to work overtime to stay on track

As a result of the resounding success of the 4-day workweek trial, Goosechase decided to adopt the new work schedule permanently.

Furthermore, the company committed to ongoing evaluations of the compressed hours to optimize and refine its strategy.

BunnyStudio — Four-Day Week

BunnyStudio is a creative fulfillment platform that enables customers to outsource their writing, translation, and voice-over tasks. It operates as a remote business with 244 employees.

The organization started a 4-day workweek pilot project under the theme “Push, Learn, Play Initiative.”

Under the “Push” initiative, the company encouraged employees to give their best effort. The “Learn” aspect encouraged them to explore and improve hobbies or skills during the flex days.

Lastly, BunnyStudio urged employees to enjoy and embrace the “Play” program.

How BunnyStudio Structured the Four-Day Workweek

Here’s how BunnyStudio structured its four-day workweek:

Workweek: Its four-day workweek operates from Monday to Thursday, providing employees a flex day on Friday.

Hours: The company’s working hours didn’t change, as it stuck to its 8-hour, 4-day work schedule.

Compensation: Employees received the same salary as before.

Support: BunnyStudio states, “We’ve structured our four-day workweek so that our clients will continue receiving 24/7 support no matter what as our customer support team works in shifts.”

What were the Results of Introducing the Four-Day Workweek?

BunnyStudio’s trial of the 4-day workweek produced significant results. The company didn’t provide quantitative information to back up the strengths of the new system.

However, it claimed the program increased productivity, revenue, and number of clients. According to a company representative, the 4 day work week also helped the BunnyStudio team meet its key objectives.

Pros and Cons of the BunnyStudio 4-Day Work Week Trial

Pros:

• Increased productivity
• Creation of a healthier work environment for employees.
• More efficient use of time
• Improved team members’ satisfaction and engagements
• Increased customer satisfaction
• More focus on achieving goals

Cons

• Less time to complete tasks

Atom -Four-Day Week

Established in 2014, Atom is the only-digital bank in the UK, operating primarily through its app-based platform. The company embraced the idea wholeheartedly as the four-day workweek trend gained momentum across Europe.

In November 2021, Atom launched a trial program for a four-day workweek. The primary objectives of Atom’s initiative were to enhance employees’ work-life balance, offer sustainable and flexible work arrangements, and boost overall productivity.

How Atom Structured the Four-Day Workweek

Here’s how Atom structured its four-day workweek

Workweek: Employees’ workweek started from Monday to Thursday.

Hours: It moved from a 5-day, 40-hour traditional work plan to a 4-day, 34-hour schedule. However, the company’s website doesn’t explain how it arrived at a 34-hour work plan.

Compensation: There was no loss of pay due to the four-day workweek.

What were the Results of Introducing the Four-Day Workweek?

Looking at the bank’s statistical results, it’s clear that the 4-day workweek study was fruitful:

Effect on employees:

• 92% looked forward to work
• 49% increase in job applications

Effect on customer service:

• Trustpilot score rose from 4.54 (out of 5) to 4.82
• Customer goodwill score rose from 83.1% to 85.8%

Effect on operations:

• 91% of our people were able to get everything done within four days
• 92% of our people felt encouraged to find efficiencies
• Improved productivity across various departmental metrics

Pros and Cons of Atom’s 4-Day Workweek Trial

Pros

• More productivity among employees
• Increased efficiency
• Improved customer service

Cons

• Need for a mindset change
• Fundamental shift in operating model and working practice

Summing Up

Companies that have adopted the four-day work schedule attest to its remarkable ability to double productivity, enhance employees’ well-being, and increase job and customer satisfaction.

However, successfully introducing a four-day work schedule requires a significant shift in operations and work practices. Everyone must be onboard and committed to its effective implementation.

Are you interested in improving your physical and mental health? Explore 4 Day Week’s list of jobs offering compressed hours.

This article was originally posted on 4 day week — jobs with a four day workweek. Get a job with a better work-life balance.