The idea of a four-day work week has long been dismissed as unrealistic—something suited to think pieces and political wishlists rather than real workplaces.
But a growing body of research—and a wave of global trials—suggests that model may be overdue for reinvention. The four-day work week, once dismissed as a utopian fantasy, has now become the focus of major scientific inquiry, economic debate, and policy discussion.
The most compelling evidence yet emerges from a new peer-reviewed study published in Nature Human Behaviour. The findings add weight to a mounting global consensus: giving employees one less day of work—without reducing their pay—produces better performance, healthier workers, and more sustainable organisations.
So what actually happened after thousands of workers around the world tried a shorter work week? And is the future of labour finally shifting toward fewer hours and more autonomy?
The New Study That Changed the Conversation
Researchers surveyed 2,896 employees across 141 organisations in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, Ireland, and the United Kingdom as they participated in a six-month four-day work week trial. Their responses were compared with 285 employees from 12 companies that maintained a traditional five-day schedule.
The study found that a four-day week—with no loss of income—produced measurable improvements in employee mental and physical health, job satisfaction, and burnout levels, while also supporting workplace performance.
Workers Were Healthier and Less Burnt Out
Participants consistently reported better sleep, improved mental health, and lower stress. The positive results were strongest among people who reduced their work week by eight hours or more.
The researchers noted that their findings have implications for how society imagines future work structures, particularly at a time when digital technologies and artificial intelligence are accelerating changes across industries.
Productivity Did Not Decline
One of the most significant concerns about a shorter work week has always been performance. But across most organisations, productivity was maintained or improved. Companies discovered wastage in workflows—particularly around meetings, email habits, and duplicated tasks—that made hour cuts possible without compromising output.
Dr Libby Sander from Bond University told ABC News that trials often expose how many workplace meetings are unnecessary or inefficient. She said that many meetings could easily be replaced with an email or conducted with fewer participants.
Burnout Dropped Significantly
In the trial, employees working fewer hours reported sharper declines in burnout and stronger improvements in wellbeing than those who continued with a standard work week.
This is significant in Australia, where mental health claims among workers in their 30s and 40s have risen sharply over the past decade. Dr Sander explained that when people are excessively stressed, overtired or burnt out, their productivity does not rise indefinitely—it eventually collapses, sometimes abruptly.
The Study’s Limitations
The report’s authors acknowledged that its sample reflected self-selecting organisations—mostly small to medium-sized—and largely from English-speaking countries. Despite this, they argue that the results demonstrate a strong foundation for how four-day work week models could inform future labour policy and organisational design.
The research in the study was supported by the US National Science Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation and Boston College Ignite Grant. The Irish trial was supported by Forsa trade union.
Why the Four-Day Week Resonates in Australia
Australia is working harder than ever. The Productivity Commission has pointed out that Australians are working in record numbers, for longer hours, but with falling productivity.
Employees are giving more time but not necessarily producing more. Businesses, meanwhile, have been slow to adopt technologies that could improve efficiency.
In this context, the four-day week offers an appealing alternative: instead of asking workers to push harder, companies can re-evaluate how work is structured and where time is wasted.
The average participant in the Nature study reduced their weekly work time by around five hours. But some companies achieved even greater reductions, which, according to the study, correlated with the strongest wellbeing improvements.
A Shift From Hours to Outcomes
Several experts interviewed by ABC News said the debate is moving away from how long people work to how effectively they work.
Dr Rowena Ditzell from the University of Technology Sydney told ABC the concept challenges the long-standing idea of the “ideal worker”—the person whose commitment is demonstrated through constant visibility and long hours. She said the four-day week proves that outcomes, not physical presence, should define work quality.
The Australian federal government's upcoming productivity round table is expected to further explore this shift, especially as artificial intelligence reshapes labour markets and organisational structures.
AI, Automation and the Future of Work
Chief Scientist of the UNSW AI Institute, Professor Toby Walsh, told ABC News that emerging technologies will transform work on a scale comparable to the industrial revolution. He emphasised that previous technological leaps were accompanied by major social reforms—such as the introduction of weekends, universal education, and pensions—to ensure progress benefited workers as well as businesses.
He suggested that as AI automates significant portions of work, societies may again need to rethink how benefits are shared—and a shorter work week could become an important part of this transition.
What Employers Learned: It’s Not Just About Cutting a Day
Across global trials, companies that implemented the four-day week noted several outcomes:
1. Better Staff Retention and Recruitment
Offering a shorter week became a powerful, non-monetary incentive that helped attract and keep talent.
2. More Efficient Internal Processes
Businesses began questioning legacy practices—especially meeting culture—which had been draining time without adding value.
3. Stable or Improved Customer Satisfaction
Many organisations found customer service levels remained steady, and in some cases improved, due to more energised employees.
4. Cost Savings
Reduced turnover, fewer sick days and more motivated teams produced indirect financial benefits.
Industries Where It Works — and Where It Doesn’t
A four-day work week has been most effective in:
- professional services
- tech and IT
- finance
- marketing and creative industries
- administrative and corporate roles
- non-profit sectors
Industries with rigid operational requirements—such as manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and logistics—face more structural challenges. Some adopt rotating teams, compressed schedules, or reduced-hour models instead of a uniform day off.
Is a Four-Day Week Australia’s Future?
Experts believe national change will not happen all at once. Instead, several trends are likely:
• Gradual adoption across suitable industries
Office-based sectors are already seeing momentum.
• Reduced-hour weeks without strict four-day models
Some companies will move toward 32–35 hour weeks spread flexibly.
• Government-supported pilots
Similar to trials in Spain, Iceland, and Ireland.
• Market-driven pressure
Workers increasingly prioritise wellbeing and balance, pushing employers to adapt.
• AI-enabled productivity gains
Technological shifts may reduce the amount of human labour needed—opening the door for shorter work weeks.
A Quiet Revolution in Working Life
The global four-day week trials—and now the strongest scientific study to date—suggest a future where work is smarter, healthier, and more humane. Employees in the trials experienced better mental health, improved physical wellbeing, reduced burnout, and greater job satisfaction. Employers saw stable or improved productivity, stronger retention, and more efficient systems.
As workplaces confront rapid changes driven by AI, automation, and shifting social expectations, the question is becoming less about whether a four-day week is possible—and more about how long workplaces can afford to ignore the benefits.
The five-day work week may not disappear overnight, but it is no longer the unquestioned default. A new model is emerging, one that recognises that better work may come from working less—not more.
