The UK’s Four-Day Workweek Experiment: The Results Are In
Can you work less and achieve more? Can you work less and achieve more? The UK ran the world’s biggest four-day week experiment to find out. The results — and the reasons behind them — might surprise you. This report breaks down what happened, who it worked for, and what it means for the UK job market going forward.
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Quality over quantity. Inside the UK’s four-day week trial
What if you could have a three-day weekend every week without losing any pay? For years, it sounded like a dream. But in 2022, the United Kingdom put it to the test in the world’s largest-ever trial of a four-day working week.
Sixty-one companies and nearly 3,000 employees took the leap, and the results are in. The verdict? It was a resounding success!
- For businesses: productivity was maintained, and in many cases, revenue grew.
- For employees: the benefits were life-changing, with dramatic drops in stress and burnout.
The experiment proved so successful that nearly 90% of the companies have kept the policy a year later, suggesting the four-day workweek is not just a passing trend but a real, sustainable future.
What was the experiment? The UK’s landmark trial
The push for a shorter work week isn’t new, but the COVID-19 pandemic put the idea into overdrive.
After years of stress, burnout, and remote work, people began to question the traditional 9-to-5, five-day model.
This led to a massive six-month trial in the UK, from June to December 2022, involving a diverse mix of businesses, from tech startups and financial firms to a local fish-and-chip shop, all under the watch of researchers from the University of Cambridge and Boston College.
The core of the trial was the “100-80-100” model:
- 100% of the pay
- For 80% of the hours
- In exchange for 100% of the productivity
Crucially, this is not about cramming five days of work into four longer, more stressful days, otherwise known as a ‘compressed week’. It’s about a genuine reduction in working hours, forcing companies and employees to work smarter, not harder.
The results: A win-win for companies and employees
The data from the trial is clear: a four-day workweek is good for business and great for people.
For businesses: The bottom line looks good.
Fears that less time would mean less money proved unfounded. In fact, the opposite was often true.
- Revenue stayed healthy: Company revenue remained stable, rising by 1.4% on average during the trial. When compared to the same period in previous years, it was up by an impressive 35%.
- Employees stayed longer: The number of staff leaving their jobs dropped by a massive 57%.
- Fewer sick days: Absenteeism fell by 65%, as employees were healthier and less burned out.
So, how did they do it?
The shorter week forced companies to eliminate unnecessary meetings, minimise distractions, and utilise technology more effectively. It became a catalyst for finding better and more efficient ways to work.
For employees: A game-changer for work-life balance.
The impact on employee well-being was even more dramatic. People were healthier, happier, and had more time outside of work. Here are some of the key findings:
- Burnout plummeted: 71% of employees reported feeling less burned out.
- Stress levels dropped: 39% of employees felt less stressed than before the trial.
- Improved health: People reported experiencing less anxiety and fatigue, as well as improved mental and physical health.
- Better work-life balance: 60% found it easier to balance work with care responsibilities, and 62% said the same for their social lives.
The change was so positive that 15% of employees stated that no amount of money could convince them to return to a five-day workweek.
Is the 4-day workweek just a fad? The one-year check-in
One of the biggest questions was whether these results were just a “honeymoon effect.” A follow-up study one year later proved the benefits are built to last.
- 89% of companies were still operating a four-day workweek.
- 51% had made the policy permanent.
- 100% of managers and CEOs said the policy had a “positive” or “very positive” impact.
The improvements in employee well-being, work-life balance, and health were all sustained a year later, demonstrating that the four-day workweek is a durable and effective model for the modern workplace.
Business outcomes
| Metric | Result |
| Companies Continuing Policy (Post-Trial) | 92% |
| Companies Continuing Policy (1 Year On) | 89% |
| Companies Making Policy Permanent (1 Year On) | 51% |
| Change in Company Revenue (Trial Period) | +1.4% (Average) |
| Change in Company Revenue (vs. prior year) | +35% (Average) |
| Staff Turnover / Attrition | -57% |
| Employee Sick Days / Absenteeism | -65% |
Employee outcomes
| Metric | Result |
| Reduction in Burnout | 71% of employees |
| Reduction in Stress | 39% of employees |
| Improved Work-Life Balance (Care) | 60% of employees |
| Improved Work-Life Balance (Social) | 62% of employees |
| Employee Preference to Continue | 90% of employees |
Which companies made the four-day workweek work?
One of the most important findings is that the four-day workweek isn’t just for office-based tech companies. The trial’s success stories span many industries, demonstrating that the model is highly adaptable.
| Company | Sector | Model Implemented | Key Business Outcome | Key Employee Outcome |
| Atom Bank | Banking/Fintech | Permanent 4-day, 34-hour week | Trustpilot score increased from 4.54 to 4.82; a 500% increase in job applications. | 92% of staff look forward to work; 91% can complete work in 4 days. |
| Awin | Global Affiliate Marketing | Permanent “Flexi-Week” (staggered) | 13% average annual profit growth; 33% reduction in regrettable turnover. | 94% report improved work-life balance; 70% report less stress. |
| Platten’s Fish & Chips | Hospitality | Staggered 2-days-on, 2-days-off rota | Staff retention intent rose from <30% to 74%; fewer absences. | Staff are less tired; able to have a life outside work during peak season. |
| South Cambridgeshire District Council | Public Sector | Staggered 4-day week | Saved £399k/year on agency staff; filled long-vacant posts; 21 of 24 services improved or maintained. | Improved staff health, motivation, and retention. |
- Atom Bank: Customer satisfaction went up, and job applications skyrocketed by 500%.
- Awin: Profits grew, and staff turnover fell by a third.
- Platten’s Fish and Chips: A significant increase in staff retention in an industry renowned for high turnover.
- South Cambridgeshire District Council: The first UK local authority to try a four-day workweek did so to solve a major recruitment problem. It worked. They filled long-empty jobs, saved nearly £400,000 per year on temporary staff, and saw performance improvements in most public services.
Why it worked
The success of the four-day workweek trial wasn’t down to a single factor — it was the result of a combination of innovative strategies, flexible planning, and the correct use of AI technology.
A flexible framework works best.
One major takeaway from the UK’s four-day workweek experiment is that flexibility was the key to success. The companies that made it work didn’t follow a strict template. Instead, they adapted the idea to fit their unique structure, industry, and workload.
This trial showed that the four-day workweek isn’t about copying one model; it’s about finding the version that works best for your team. Here’s a breakdown of the most common formats companies used:
| Model | What It Looks Like | Pros | Cons | Best For |
| Universal Day Off | Everyone gets the same extra day off (e.g., Friday) | Simple and popular; improves focus and rest | Doesn’t work for businesses needing 5-day+ customer cover | Tech firms, agencies, and some B2B services |
| Staggered Model | Teams take different days off to maintain coverage | Keeps operations running full week | Scheduling and communication are more complex | Customer service, healthcare, retail |
| Decentralised Model | Teams design their own schedules | Highly adaptable and empowering | Risk of inconsistency or unfairness | R&D, agile software, project-based firms |
| Annualised Hours | Shorter weeks in quiet seasons, longer in peak | Matches workload patterns | Needs careful tracking and planning | Hospitality, tourism, events |
| Conditional Model | Day off depends on meeting targets | Rewards productivity directly | Can cause stress or resentment | Sales teams (used cautiously); least effective overall |
Why technology was the secret ingredient
Working fewer hours didn’t mean falling behind; it meant working smarter. Companies that succeeded in the four-day week trials used technology and AI to boost productivity, not just maintain it.
Instead of simply doing less, companies automated routine tasks, reduced unnecessary meetings, and improved collaboration. This allowed employees to accomplish more in less time, and in many cases, the output improved.
Examples of how AI and digital tools helped:
- Automatically scheduling meetings and minute-taking.
- Generating reports.
- Handling customer queries via chatbots.
- Monitoring and optimising production workflows.
AI can already take over up to 25% of tasks in many roles. That’s strikingly close to the 20% reduction in hours under the four-day workweek model, showing how the right tech can close the gap between less time and more results.
Future implications
A new magnet for job seekers
In a competitive job market, offering a four-day workweek is a powerful way for companies to attract and retain the best talent. It’s such a valuable benefit, many employees prize it more than a pay rise, giving companies that offer it a considerable advantage. For example, as shown earlier, Atom Bank experienced a surge in job applications, with a 500% increase.
Economic and social impact
The four-day workweek isn’t just beneficial for workers and companies; it has the potential to create broader social and economic change.
- More equality at home
Giving people an extra day off helps shift how unpaid work, such as childcare and housework, is shared. In the UK trial, men increased their time spent on childcare by 27%, while women’s time went up by 13%.
This helps balance responsibilities at home, challenge old gender roles, and make it easier for parents to stay in full-time careers.
- A win for the environment
Fewer days at work would mean less commuting and lower energy use in office buildings. One report estimated that transitioning the entire UK to a four-day workweek could reduce the nation’s carbon footprint by 127 million tonnes per year–equivalent to taking the entire UK private car fleet off the road.
A boost to UK productivity
These findings support the idea that shorter workweeks can address long-standing productivity challenges in the UK. By pushing companies to work smarter within compressed schedules, the four-day model promotes efficiency, process improvement, and technological adoption, all of which contribute to closing the productivity gap with other advanced economies.
Challenges, criticisms, and the road ahead
It’s important to recognise that a shorter workweek isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. From the one-year follow-up study, only 51% of the companies made the policy permanent, despite 100% of the managers reporting the policy had a “positive” impact.
Transitioning a policy from trial to permanent involves complex factors. Organisations may face operational constraints, industry norms, or logistical challenges that make permanence difficult, even if the trial went well.
Some industries may also struggle more than others to adopt the model, and some real concerns and barriers need to be addressed.
- Sector-specific challenges
The four-day workweek model doesn’t suit every industry. Sectors that require 24/7 coverage, such as emergency services, parts of healthcare, and continuous manufacturing, face logistical hurdles. To reduce hours without affecting service, these fields would likely need significant increases in staffing. - Risk of work intensification
If companies cut hours without redesigning workflows, the result can be harmful. Employees may feel pressured to condense five days of work into four, resulting in longer, more stressful days. This undermines the well-being benefits the model is meant to offer and risks burnout over time. - Customer expectations
Some businesses worry that reducing hours could negatively impact customer service. But case studies from companies like Awin and Platten’s show that staggered schedules and thoughtful planning can help teams stay responsive without working five full days.
Conclusion: Is the four-day workweek here to stay?
The evidence from the UK’s massive trial is clear: the four-day workweek is no longer a hypothetical dream. It’s a practical and proven business strategy that delivers significant benefits for both companies and their employees. It boosts well-being, attracts talent, and forces the kind of innovative, efficient working practices that businesses need to thrive.
The four-day workweek movement is also gaining momentum. The number of officially accredited four-day week employers has grown to over 230, employing more than 5,000 people and indicating a broadening acceptance of the model beyond the initial pilot participants.
However, success isn’t automatic. It requires a genuine commitment to rethinking how work gets done, not just when it gets done. But for the hundreds of UK companies that have made the switch permanent, it’s clear that the four-day workweek is more than just an experiment.
The four-day workweek is therefore transitioning to a credible and increasingly mainstream business strategy. It offers a practical solution to some of the most pressing challenges to the UK job market, including the productivity puzzle, the war for talent, and employee burnout.
As the movement continues to grow, supported by durable results and enabling technological advancements, the four-day workweek is set to become a defining and enduring feature of the 21st-century workplace.
Sources
- https://www.cam.ac.uk/stories/fourdayweek
- https://www.weforum.org/stories/2023/03/four-day-work-week-uk-trial/
- https://autonomy.work/portfolio/uk4dwpilotresults/
- https://www.sociology.cam.ac.uk/news/new-results-worlds-largest-trial-four-day-working-week
- https://autonomy.work/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/making-it-stick_-1.pdf
- https://www.4dayweek.co.uk/case-studies
- https://www.4dayweek.com/uk-pilot-results
- https://www.raconteur.net/technology/ai-four-day-week
- https://4dayweek.io/pros-and-cons
- https://www.4dayweek.co.uk/research
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/work/a-four-day-working-week-could-be-the-new-future-of-the-uk/articleshow/117611369.cms?from=mdr
Andrew Smith
Senior Content Writer
Meet Andrew Smith – an accomplished English copywriter with a strong background in SEO optimisation. Passionate about producing engaging content, Andrew has written across various fields, including health and fitness, security, travel, and tourism.
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