Opinion: The Four-Day Week Works — Britain Should Adopt It Now

In 2022–23, 61 UK companies with 2,900 workers trialled a four-day working week — 100% pay for 80% time, with the goal of maintaining 100% productivity. The results were stunning: productivity stayed the same or improved, sick days fell 65%, staff turnover fell 57%, and 92% of workers wanted to continue the four-day week. Workers reported better mental health, less stress, and more time for family, hobbies, and rest. The trial was a resounding success, and it proved what many have long suspected: we do not need to work five days a week to be productive. In fact, we are more productive when we work less.

So why is Britain still stuck with the five-day week? Because employers fear change, because we fetishise long hours, and because we have convinced ourselves that productivity equals time spent at a desk. It is time to admit that the five-day week is outdated, and that the four-day week is the future.

The Evidence Is Overwhelming

The UK four-day week trials were the largest in the world, and the results were clear:

Productivity stayed the same or improved

Companies reported that productivity (measured by revenue, output, or customer satisfaction) stayed the same or improved. Workers were more focused, wasted less time, and worked more efficiently.

This is not surprising. Research shows that productivity per hour worked falls sharply after 40 hours per week. People who work 50–60 hours per week are not twice as productive as people who work 25–30 hours — they are tired, stressed, and inefficient.

Workers were happier and healthier

Workers reported:

• Better mental health (anxiety and burnout fell)
• Less stress (work-life balance improved)
• More time for family, hobbies, and rest
• Better sleep (workers slept an average of 30 minutes more per night)

Sick days fell 65%, saving companies money and reducing pressure on the NHS.

Staff turnover fell

Staff turnover fell 57%, saving companies the cost of recruiting and training new staff. Workers were more loyal because they valued the four-day week and did not want to lose it.

Companies saved money

Despite paying the same salaries, companies saved money through:

• Lower sick days (less cover needed)
• Lower staff turnover (less recruitment and training)
• Lower office costs (some companies closed offices on Fridays, saving energy and rent)

92% of workers wanted to continue

At the end of the trial, 92% of workers said they wanted to continue the four-day week, and most companies (around 90%) said they would continue it permanently.

Why the Four-Day Week Works

1. People are more productive when they work less

The law of diminishing returns applies to work. The first 20 hours of work per week are highly productive. The next 20 hours are less productive. Hours 40–60 are barely productive at all — people are tired, distracted, and going through the motions.

A four-day week forces people to focus on what matters and cut out the waste (long meetings, unnecessary emails, time-wasting). The result is higher productivity per hour worked.

2. People are healthier and happier

Long working hours are linked to stress, burnout, anxiety, depression, and physical health problems (heart disease, obesity, diabetes). A four-day week gives people time to rest, exercise, see family and friends, and pursue hobbies. This improves mental and physical health, which improves productivity.

3. People are more loyal

Workers who get a four-day week are more loyal to their employer and less likely to leave. This reduces staff turnover, which saves companies money and improves continuity.

4. It is good for the economy

A four-day week boosts the economy by:

• Increasing consumer spending (people have more time to shop, eat out, travel)
• Reducing sick days (saving the NHS money and reducing pressure on services)
• Increasing productivity (more output per hour worked)

France and Germany work fewer hours than the UK (40 and 38 hours per week vs 42 in the UK) but have higher productivity per hour worked. This is because they work smarter, not longer.

The Objections

1. "It only works for office jobs"

This is the most common objection, but it is wrong. The UK trials included:

• Care homes (providing 24/7 care)
• Manufacturers (producing physical goods)
• Retailers (serving customers)
• Hospitality businesses (restaurants, hotels)

These businesses used shift patterns, staggered days off, and flexible scheduling to make the four-day week work. It is harder than for office workers, but it is possible.

Jobs requiring 24/7 coverage (hospitals, police, transport) can use shift patterns to give everyone a four-day week. For example, nurses could work four 10-hour shifts instead of five 8-hour shifts.

2. "We cannot afford it"

Companies in the trials paid 100% pay for 80% time, and most said they saved money through lower sick days, lower staff turnover, and higher productivity.

The four-day week is not a cost — it is an investment in productivity and staff wellbeing.

3. "Customers expect us to be open five days a week"

Some businesses need to be open five days a week (or seven), but that does not mean individual workers need to work five days. Use shift patterns, staggered days off, or hire more staff (which creates jobs).

4. "People will just waste the extra day off"

This is patronising and insulting. Workers are adults who can decide how to spend their time. And even if they do "waste" it (watching TV, sleeping in), they will come back to work rested and more productive.

5. "It is not fair to people who cannot do a four-day week"

This is a bad argument. Just because some people cannot benefit from a policy does not mean no one should. We do not ban flexible working because some jobs cannot be done flexibly. We do not ban working from home because some jobs require being on-site.

The goal should be to extend the four-day week to as many workers as possible, not to deny it to everyone because it cannot work for everyone.

The UK Works Too Much

The UK has a culture of long hours and presenteeism (being at your desk, even if you are not productive). The average UK worker works 42 hours per week, compared to 40 in France and 38 in Germany.

But we are less productive per hour worked than France or Germany. We work longer, but we achieve less. This is because we confuse time spent at work with productivity.

The four-day week challenges this culture. It says: productivity is not about time spent at a desk. It is about output, focus, and efficiency.

The Political Barrier

The four-day week is popular with workers (92% support in the trials), but it faces political and cultural barriers:

1. Employers fear change

Employers fear losing control and fear that workers will slack off. But the trials proved this fear is unfounded — productivity stayed the same or improved.

2. The culture of long hours

The UK has a culture that valorises long hours and sees working less as lazy. Politicians and business leaders talk about "hard work" and "graft," as if time spent working is a virtue in itself.

This culture is toxic. It leads to burnout, stress, and poor productivity. It is time to change it.

3. No political will

Neither Labour nor the Conservatives have committed to a four-day week. Labour has promised to strengthen workers' rights (ban zero-hours contracts, improve flexible working), but it has not endorsed the four-day week.

The only way the four-day week will happen is if workers demand it and employers adopt it voluntarily. The trials have shown it works — now it is up to workers and employers to make it happen.

The Future of Work

The four-day week is not a utopian fantasy. It is a practical, evidence-based policy that improves productivity, health, and wellbeing. It is the future of work, and countries that adopt it will have a competitive advantage.

Iceland has adopted a four-day week for public sector workers, and it has been a success. Belgium has introduced a right to request a four-day week. Spain and Portugal are trialling it. The UK is falling behind.

The five-day week is a relic of the industrial revolution, when factories needed workers on-site for long hours. But we are no longer in the industrial revolution. We are in the knowledge economy, where productivity is about focus, creativity, and problem-solving, not time spent at a desk.

It is time to admit that the five-day week is outdated, and that the four-day week is the future.

The Bottom Line

UK four-day week trials (2022-23) involving 61 companies and 2,900 workers found productivity stayed the same or improved, while sick days fell 65% and staff turnover fell 57%. Workers reported better mental health, less stress, and more time for family, hobbies, and rest, with 92% wanting to continue the four-day week. The UK works longer hours than most of Europe (42 hours/week vs 40 in France, 38 in Germany) but is less productive per hour worked. Critics say four-day weeks only work for office jobs, not manufacturing or services, but trials included care homes, manufacturers, and hospitality businesses. The case for a four-day week is overwhelming: workers are happier, healthier, and just as productive, but employers fear change and loss of control. The five-day week is a relic of the industrial revolution, and it is time to move on. The four-day week is the future of work, and the UK should adopt it now. Workers deserve better, and the economy will benefit. The evidence is clear. The only question is: what are we waiting for?