Four-Day Workweek Trials

Large-scale pilots in the UK and Iceland demonstrated productivity maintenance or gains with reduced hours. Companies report lower burnout and turnover, offsetting staffing costs. Implementation requires workflow redesign—eliminating meetings, automating routine tasks, and intensifying focus periods. Not all sectors suit the model; customer-facing services and manufacturing face coverage challenges. The movement pressures traditional time-based productivity assumptions, suggesting output metrics may better capture value than hours present.