In Australia, for example, 20 companies took part in a six-month experiment with a “four-day week” – for all these months, people worked 80% of their usual time and received 100% of their salary. As a result, the companies rated the “overall impact of the four-day working week” at 8.2 points out of a possible 10. The number of sick leaves was noted to have decreased by 44.3%, the number of voluntary resignations decreased by 8.6%. More than half of the workers reported that their productivity increased, while their stress levels, on the contrary, significantly decreased. 19 out of 20 companies that participated in the project stated their desire to continue using the four-day model.
The experiment lasted for six months, the financial results of the companies participating in the project remained stable, while a 63 percent optimization of work processes was achieved. Employees of the enterprises noted an improvement in their emotional and psychological state, as well as a harmonized balance between work and personal life.
Similar experiments were also conducted in Ireland, Great thailand mobile database Britain, the USA, Sweden, Portugal, South Africa and other countries. Many companies that participated in the project noted an increase in revenue, an increase in labor productivity, a decrease in absenteeism and dismissals, and an improvement in the psychological atmosphere in the team. According to surveys, with the introduction of the "four-day week", employees had more time to communicate with their families, hobbies, health and sports. The overwhelming majority of employees also noted a greater sense of job satisfaction than before, a decrease in professional burnout and stress levels, a decrease in anxiety, improved sleep and overall mental state.
The most illustrative experiment with a 4-day workweek was conducted by Iceland: it took place from 2015 to 2019 with the participation of more than 2.5 thousand people. Based on the results of four years of observations, the project was considered very successful, and today about 90% of the country's population works on a reduced schedule (reduced working hours every day or a 4-day workweek).
The option of a four-day work week has been officially possible in Belgium since 2022, and in Kazakhstan since 2023. By agreement with the employer, the employee can choose how many days a week he will work. However, the number of working hours remains the same, and many prefer the usual 5/8 schedule instead of 4/10. In most countries of the world, it is not the number of working days per week that is currently regulated, but the maximum number of working hours per week, and it ranges from 40 to 60.