NEW YORK—The idea behind a four-day work week is nothing radical but it has a lot of claimed advantages. It is claimed that people can achieve the same weekly tasks in fewer hours and hence have more time to pursue hobbies or other interests and spend time with loved ones. There is a lot in it for the companies as well, since they can also benefit from reduced worker burnout and lower employee turnover, according to a recent Piplsay report and survey.

However, potential downsides cannot be overlooked. For example, some workers might find the added pressure of getting more done in less time a bit too much pressure to deal with. There is also the issue of implementing this compressed schedule in the service sector (i.e. hospitals, fire departments and logistics).

Recently, Piplsay polled 1,000 employed Americans to find out what they think about a reduced work week and its perceived advantages and disadvantages.

Among the findings:

  • 69 percent Americans said that they were satisfied with their current work schedule

  • 65 percent were of the opinion that a reduced 4-day or 36-hour work week is good

  • 64 percent of Americans agreed that a reduced work week would increase productivity, while 65 percent said that it would result in a better quality of output

  • 80 percent of Americans agreed that a 3-day weekend fits their needs well.
Note that between 2015 and 2019, Iceland trialed a 4-day work week schedule in which workers were paid the same amount for shorter working hours, for example 32 to 36 hours each week. This trial was seen as an “overwhelming success” and led to many workers moving to shorter hours in the country, the Piplsay post noted.

As a result, 86 percent of the Icelandic workforce is now running on a 4-day work week while many other countries like Japan and Spain are also pursuing their own trials for the same.