Why many countries are trying a four-day work week

Not since the days of Henry Ford in the early 20th century has the idea of a five-day work week been questioned. It has become part and parcel of the life of a modern day worker – five-days of work, eight hours a day, a two-day weekend, this is what constitutes life for many. But in some countries, they are trying out a radical new idea, a work week that only lasts four days.

The Dominican Republic announced this week that they would be launching a six-month voluntary trial for a four-day work week. Initially, companies expected to join the trial include Claro, a telecommunication company; EGE Haina, a power company; IMCA, a heavy equipment vendor; and the government insurance service, reported Associated Press.

In the Dominican Republic, a typical work week currently consists of 44 hours a week, with five days of eight work hours, and an additional four hours on Saturday. Employers can distribute the 44 hours however they see fit, but it is not allowed for the work hours to exceed 44 hours.

In this new trial, companies will assign 36 hours of work for employees, reducing work hours for Dominicans by eight hours every week.

According to Dominican labour minister Luis Miguel de Camps, this trial "prioritises people, improving health and well-being, and promoting a sustainable and environmentally friendly productivity."

Various countries have tried a different pattern from the five-day work week in the past, with Iceland, Spain, and the UK holding trials in the last two years to test the benefits of a four-day work week.

In July 2021, the BBC reported that the four-day work week in Iceland was an overwhelming success. According to researchers involved in that trial, productivity remained the same or improved in most workplaces, while workers reported feeling less stressed.

Companies in the UK participated in a large-scale trial of the four-day work week in mid 2022. The BBC reported in March, 2023 that 92 percent of the companies in that trial would continue with a shorter workweek following the trial. Predictably, a large percentage of workers (71 percent) reported feeling less burnt out with better physical health and well-being.

Among other instances of trying out the four-day work week, Spain's trial between April and May 2023 in the city of Valencia also yielded positive results. Reuters reported that data from the pilot programme showed improvements in "self-perceived health status, lower stress levels and better feelings regarding tiredness, happiness, mood and personal satisfaction". It also improved the air quality on the Mondays on which the weekend was extended, as fewer motor vehicles were used.

In various countries around the world, companies themselves are taking the initiative to try the four-day work week and see if they can reap the benefits that have been reported by trials.

Unilever in New Zealand started a 18-month trial for the four-day work week in 2020, and after "encouraging early results", as reported by Unilever on its own website, they extended the trial to Australia, the multinational company's largest holding in the region.

In 2019, the BBC reported that Microsoft Japan had seen a boost of 40 percent in sales during a trial period when employees worked for four days a week on full pay.

After almost a century of the standardised five-day, eight-hour work week, the world is considering a new template to achieve better results in a changing world. Whether the four-day work week is the right idea remains to be seen, but it is definitely getting the attention of decision makers in important places.