Employees at 61 companies in Britain worked an average of 34 hours across four days between June and December 2022 while earning their existing salary.The trial is the largest in the world to date, according to Autonomy, a British-based research organisation which published the report alongside a group of academics and with backing from New Zealand-based group 4 Day Week Global.
Staff said their well-being and work-life balance had improved while data showed employees were much less likely to quit their jobs as a result of the four-day week policy. For some employees surveyed, the extra day off was more important than any pay rise: 15% said no amount of money would induce them back to a five-day week.
Which four days employees worked varied. Some staff had Wednesdays off while others had a three-day weekend policy.