The widespread adoption of a four-day workweek is far from becoming a reality.
A recent data analysis by Axios dug into research published by Indeed. The findings revealed that while there has been little growth of the trend in the workforce — from 0.1% of job postings in September 2019 to 0.3% in September 2023 — some fields are showing more of an interest than others.
More specifically, Indeed’s research reveals how employers in industries requiring in-person attendance are increasingly mentioning key words related to “4-day workweek” in job postings.
These fields included Dental (2.7% of job postings), Veterinary Services (2.0%), Physicians and Surgeons (1.0%), Production and Manufacturing (0.7%), Driving (0.7%). In contrast, fields with more remote and hybrid work options — such as software (0.2%), and IT (0.2%), are less likely to offer a four-day workweek.
The data also suggests that smaller businesses are using the four-day workweek as a recruiting strategy to compete with much larger competitors that can offer higher salaries and more extensive benefits packages.
While the four-day workweek is not yet a widespread practice, it is a trend to keep an eye on in order to see how it develops further. Recently, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union has also brought more attention to the four-day workweek during recent negotiations for better pay and benefits. Additionally, in the healthcare sector, workers have been vocal about the need to address issues of stress and burnout. Results from one of the largest four-day workweek trials have shown benefits in these areas, according to Axios.
