Recent reports have found that four-day work weeks lead to a boost in productivity and other benefits to businesses.
This was put to the test during Microsoft Japan’s “Work Life Choice Challenge”, where the company offered four-day work weeks and gave employees five consecutive Fridays off in August. The findings revealed that sales per employee grew by 40% compared to the same month the year prior.
Additionally, pages printed in the office fell by 59%, electricity consumption dropped 23% and 94% of employees were happy with the program.
Before Microsoft Japan’s experiment, Andrew Barnes’ tested out a four-day work week at his investment advisory firm Perpetual Guardian in an eight-week trial and found a 20% increase in productivity, as well as a 27% decrease in work-related stress.
“Almost 80 percent of millennials say they’d trade wages for time,” said Barnes. “This is a train coming down the tracks and employers need to address that now.”
While it is clear that offering a four-day work week comes with numerous benefits, analysts believe that flexible schedules are easier for big companies to implement. Auburn University Professor Michael Wesson, who is the chair of the department of management in the Harbert College of Business, said Europe will likely adopt this before the U.S. does.
