Plain English with Derek Thompson Who's Afraid of a Four-Day Work Week?
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Dec 6, 2022 Juliet Schor, an economist at Boston College and lead researcher on a revolutionary four-day work week trial, discusses the transformative impact of this new work model. She highlights staggering employee support, with 97% opting to keep the shortened schedule post-trial. The conversation delves into productivity gains, a 20% increase while working fewer hours. Schor also challenges traditional work norms, emphasizing the need for a reevaluation of work-life balance and the cultural significance of shorter workweeks in the American landscape.
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Trial Participants
- 33 companies and 900 workers, mostly in the US and Ireland, participated in a four-day workweek trial.
- The companies represented diverse industries like tech, non-profit, design, manufacturing, and food service.
Worker Well-being Improvements
- Workers in the four-day workweek trial experienced less stress, fatigue, insomnia, and burnout.
- Their physical and mental health improved without a change in pay.
Surprising Outcomes
- A surprising outcome of the trial was that workers didn't take second jobs despite having an extra day off.
- Work intensity remained the same, suggesting successful work reorganization, not just increased speed.