RALEIGH, N.C. – A new study claims the four-day workweek to be a “resounding success” after employees reported being happier and healthier and their companies saw a boost in revenue.

The pilot program studied 61 companies and 2,900 workers in the United Kingdom for six months. They went from working 40 hours a week to 32 hours without reducing pay.

As those employees reported a boost in health and happiness, employers found a 57% drop in employee turnover. By the end of the study, 92% of those businesses decided to make the change permanent.  

Hiring managers like Chelsea St. John, the director of selection for Northwestern Mutual, say more people are finding value in the four-day workweek.

“[Candidates are] looking for work-life balance, flexible schedule, potential for hybrid or remote work environments, and they're wanting more autonomy with their schedule,” St. John said.

While a majority of the participating companies found success with the change, St. John says the four-day workweek model doesn’t work for all businesses.

“It could be a tough sales pitch for companies because every industry, maybe they can't make that switch, to that four-day workweek,” St. John said. “But I think that what we're seeing is that employees and individuals are more productive when they're able to really get the work done during the time that they want to get it done.”

After the pandemic, St. John says more employees are taking stock of their work-life balance and happiness at their jobs.

“The pandemic has allowed us to think outside the box. And so what can we do in order to help, you know, allow employees and individuals to be happy and have that work-life balance, but also accomplish what they need to in the task that they need to complete day to day,” St. John said.

Overall, she recommends employers think outside the box and utilize technology and tools to allow workers to do their jobs more efficiently.