In a six-month UK trial involving 61 companies and about 3,000 employees, introducing a four-day work week (with no pay cut) produced striking results: a 65% drop in sick leave, 71% fall in burnout, 39% lower stress, and no loss in productivity.
Gina Battye weighed in on the findings, arguing that such experiments highlight how culture and systems, not just individual effort, shape wellbeing at work. She believes the success of a shorter week underscores that psychological safety and trust must be built into structures, not just bolted on.
In her view, interventions like a four-day week work best when they’re backed by consistent leadership, clear boundaries, and a shared commitment to protecting people’s capacity. She sees them as one lever among many to reimagine how we work, not a silver bullet, but a powerful signal of what’s possible.