Four-day week revisited

Summary:

Numerous studies, including trials on reduced working hours while retaining salary, reveal a complex relationship between working time and wellbeing

Reducing working hours to 30–35 per week without loss of pay tends to improve general and mental health and work–life balance.’ The key finding of a scoping review¹ (this issue p.36) is hardly surprising – less time at work for the same pay sounds attractive – but it’s not that simple.

In 2023, this column² criticised a report on the UK four-day working week trial by the 4 Day Week Campaign and 4 Day Week Global (4DWG). Employers had to maintain salaries at 100% while cutting working time by 20%. The report claimed that revenues and staff wellbeing were up, while …

 

Dr John Ballard is editor of Occupational Health [at Work]

Author: Ballard J

Tags flexible working health work and wellbeing working time

Occupational Health at Work April/May 2026 (vol. 22/6) pp03

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