Will AI Make The Five-Day Workweek History By 2033? All Signs Point To Yes

• 92% of U.S. workers, and many high-profile industry leaders, endorse the idea of a four-day workweek.
• –   A recent report supports the concept of a four-day workweek by highlighting its potential to improve employee well-being and job satisfaction, ultimately leading to increased productivity.
• –   For employers, there is the potential for benefits such as enhanced productivity (and reduced inefficiencies), decreased absenteeism and turnover, and the opportunity to recruit from a more diverse talent pool.

The implementation of AI in the workforce has caused a lot of alarm among people who fear the technology will take their jobs, or make new ones scarce. Others are embracing the productivity gains and focusing on upskilling to meet new expectations. However, there is one perk of widespread implementation that most could get behind: the creation of a four-day workweek.

The Case for the Four-Day Workweek

The idea of the four-day workweek originated in the 1950s, but it has only recently garnered substantial attention. Reports indicate that 92% of U.S. workers currently support the notion of a four-day workweek and companies are increasingly embracing the four-day workweek policy after successful trial initiatives. 

Several countries, including the U.K., Portugal, and Iceland, have all conducted successful trials of the four-day workweek. Germany is currently piloting the four-day workweek across 45 companies, leveraging AI to accelerate the speed of adaptation.

The four-day workweek has attracted widespread high-profile global support. In 2023, U.S. Congressman Mark Takano proposed a 32-hour workweek bill to improve efficiency for all skill levels across the workforce. The U.S. billionaire financier Steve Cohen is optimistic that the four-day workweek is inevitable and will become standard practice across the labor market. 

Christopher Pissarides, Professor at the London School of Economics, echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the significance of AI technologies such as ChatGPT in driving this transition. He suggests that the labor market can adapt swiftly to AI, benefitting from its positive impact on productivity and wellbeing when employed judiciously.

In an Allwork.Space podcast, Dr. Dale Whelehan, CEO of the 4 Day Week Global, champions the four-day workweek and advocates for the 180-100 approach to work, where employees work 80% of their usual hours (or 32 hours in a standard 40-hour workweek) while still receiving 100% of their regular pay. 

This approach reduces the number of days worked per week while maintaining productivity and boosting employee satisfaction.

What do the Numbers Show?

According to the Impact of Technology on the Workplace report, 29% of organizations that have embraced the four-day workweek use AI extensively (to streamline operations), whilst only 8% of companies with a five-day workweek leveraged AI in this way. 

29% of organizations that have embraced the four-day workweek use AI extensively.

The report also revealed that 93% of businesses are receptive to transitioning to a four-day workweek (with the support of AI). This trend is driven by the recognition that attracting top talent is crucial in today’s competitive labor market, where many employees feel overworked and undervalued. 

However, some industries stand to gain more than others, particularly those characterized by service-oriented tasks such as software development, content creation, marketing, and legal services. There are also concerns that a four-day workweek within the healthcare sector is not practical, given current staffing shortages.

Autonomy, a data-driven research and consultancy organization focusing on work and climate, conducted a study revealing that 88% of the U.K.’s workforce and 71% of American employees could reduce their working hours by at least 10% due to AI. And this transition could happen soon — the report concluded that AI could create a four-day workweek for one-third of workers by 2033 in Britain and the U.S. 

AI could create a four-day workweek for one-third of workers by 2033 in Britain and the U.S. 

The report also emphasizes the significance of Large Language Models such as OpenAI’s GPT-3 in propelling this transition towards a shorter workweek. 

Rather than replacing humans with AI, the goal is to leverage AI to enable employees to develop new skills and enhance their existing capabilities. Goldman Sachs predicts a 1.5% annual rise in productivity attributed to the use of generative AI tools and estimates that roughly two-thirds of American occupations are already exposed to some degree of automation by AI. 

Furthermore, there is an opportunity to establish automation hubs across various sectors to ensure equitable AI deployment and extend the benefits of AI to areas with currently low investment.

The Link Between AI and Work-Life Balance

According to a survey conducted by TechNET IT Recruitment, AI has enabled each recruitment consultant to save an average of 21 hours per week by automating routine tasks such as data input. 

Embracing AI technology has allowed companies to enhance operational flexibility and free up valuable time for employees to focus on more strategic tasks. This efficiency boost has not only improved employee morale but has also helped employers to attract higher-caliber talent. 

Embracing AI technology has allowed companies to enhance operational flexibility and free up valuable time for employees to focus on more strategic tasks.

The survey further highlights that 59% of employees using AI reported higher job satisfaction. 

However, despite these benefits, only 1 in 25 companies have fully integrated AI into their operations. 

AI technologies are increasingly adept at automating repetitive tasks across diverse industries, from manufacturing to finance and customer service. When AI tackles mundane tasks, workers can dedicate themselves to higher-value activities — fostering creativity and boosting employee engagement. 

AI-powered scheduling algorithms and workforce management systems can also facilitate flexible work arrangements, enabling employees to achieve a better work-life balance without compromising productivity.

A poor work-life balance can lead to reduced levels of job satisfaction. A shorter workweek can alleviate this imbalance, benefiting workers in countries such as America and the U.K., where stress and mental health issues are prevalent. The Autonomy report supports this notion by emphasizing how adopting a four-day workweek can boost employee wellbeing by granting them additional time for rest, relaxation, and personal interests/ hobbies.

The Pros and Potential Cons of the Four-day Workweek

The concept of a four-day workweek could prompt concerns about finances. However, advocates suggest that the advantages of higher productivity and employee happiness might surpass the potential expenses. 

For instance, AI’s better resource management could boost economic growth and innovation, offering new opportunities for both companies and employees. Other perks for companies may include:

• A 20% decrease in overall inefficiency.
• Reduced overhead costs such as rental and utility bills because having fewer employees in the office at any given time requires less space and resources.
• Lower turnover and absenteeism rates. The Autonomy report found that when employees transitioned to a four-day workweek, absenteeism dropped by around 65%.
• Increased diversity of job applicants, with a larger pool of individuals, including caregivers, parents, and students, attracted to positions offering a four-day workweek. This policy also contributes to improved gender equality by providing more flexibility for women to pursue these roles.
• Expanded investment opportunities for companies serving the leisure, travel, and hospitality sectors, as employees with a four-day workweek have more leisure time.
• More innovation in the workplace as employees can use the additional time for creativity and developing their existing skills.

On the flip side, there are some potential challenges associated with implementing the four-day workweek:

• It may not be feasible in all industries ­— for example healthcare or education (due to current recruitment issues).
• Productivity must increase by an estimated 25% to offset any costs incurred from transitioning to a four-day week.
• Not everyone favors the four-day workweek. Some employees prefer spreading their workload over five days (8%) for a perceived slower pace of work.

Productivity must increase by an estimated 25% to offset any costs incurred from transitioning to a four-day week.

Embracing the Four-Day Future

The transformative influence of AI on the future of work is undeniable, opening up the possibility of a four-day workweek for a substantial portion of the workforce. 

Through leveraging AI-driven automation, businesses can unlock efficiencies, enhance productivity, and prioritize employee wellbeing — charting a course towards a more sustainable and equitable future of work. 

Just as the traditional seven-day workweek model evolved and shortened, the time has come to re-evaluate and move beyond the five-day, forty-hour workweek. While some initial challenges may arise, the arguments for this new approach are too compelling to ignore.