Economist presents study results on the four-day pilot project Since the beginning of 2024, 45 organisations from various sectors have taken part in a six-month pilot project to introduce the four-day week. The results of the Germany-wide study show a significant positive change in life satisfaction.

Münster, 18 October 2024: Well-being increases when working hours are reduced – while productivity remains the same or even increases slightly. This is the finding of a Germany-wide study conducted by the University of Münster under the scientific direction of Prof Dr Julia Backmann and co-led by Dr Felix Hoch. ‘The four-day week led to a significant positive change in life satisfaction, which was mainly due to the additional free time,’ emphasises the researcher. Before the pilot project, 64 per cent of employees expressed a desire to spend more time with their families. After the introduction of the four-day week, this figure fell to 50 per cent.

Since the beginning of 2024, 45 organisations from various sectors in Germany have taken part in a six-month pilot project by Berlin-based management consultancy Intraprenör and the organisation ‘4 Day Week Global’ to introduce the four-day week. On 18 October (Friday), the economist presented the first scientific results together with Carsten Meier, co-initiator of the pilot project and Managing Director of Intraprenör.

By participating in the study, the organisations hoped to find answers to the questions of whether the four-day week can lead to an increase in employer attractiveness, better employee health and a sustainable future orientation, and how the changes affect productivity. ‘Although there were slight increases in key financial performance indicators such as turnover and profit, these did not differ significantly from the previous year. Nevertheless, the unchanged key figures indicate possible productivity gains despite reduced working hours,’ explains Julia Backmann. Self-reporting by management and employees supported the assumption that productivity improved during the pilot project. ‘Both sides tended to notice an increase in productivity.’

The reduced working hours were not offset by increased overtime. Instead, the workforces made various adjustments. More than 60 per cent cited the reduction of distractions and the optimisation of processes, while a good half of the companies changed their meeting culture, for example by reducing the frequency and length of internal meetings. A quarter of respondents introduced new digital tools to further increase efficiency. ‘The potential of shortened working hours seems to lie dormant under complicated processes, meetings and low digitalisation,’ explains co-initiator Carsten Meier. ‘Companies need to invest in the necessary change work to get a four-day week out.’

The employees reported significant improvements in their mental and physical health, emphasises Julia Backmann. The employees reported less stress and burnout symptoms. Physiological data was also measured in the study using fitness trackers. The introduction of the four-day week led to an increase in daily activity levels, as measured by step counts and physical activity. In addition, the test subjects in the four-day week slept an average of 38 minutes longer per week than the control group. The values – measured in minutes of stress per day via a smartwatch – were lower in the four-day-a-week group than in the control group.

Although the organisational data shows a slight decrease in monthly sick days, the difference was not statistically significant compared to 2023. In contrast to similar studies abroad, the team from the University of Münster found no evidence that the four-day week had a positive impact on environmentally conscious behaviour or the ecological footprint. Rather, for example, it was found that the participants travelled domestically more frequently than before.

The results suggest that the four-day week in this country does not end with the project. More than 70 per cent of the organisations stated that they wanted to continue it beyond the six-month pilot phase, either by extending the test phase or by fully implementing it.

Method

The research comprised three waves of data collection. The research team conducted interviews and quantitative surveys of employees and organisations and collected physiological data, for example from smartwatch trackers and by detecting the stress hormone cortisol in hair samples. Organisational indicators rounded off the overall picture. Data from control groups within the organisations that had not fully introduced the four-day week was also collected.

The organisations themselves decided how they wanted to implement the four-day week. 60 per cent of them applied it to the entire workforce. Larger organisations only introduced the four-day week for certain employees or teams. The models differed in the extent of the reduction in working hours and the flexibility of the days off. The majority (85 per cent) granted one day off per week on a fixed or rotating day.

The participating organisations covered a wide range of industries, including consulting and services, manufacturing, social services, IT and media. The size ranged from companies with less than ten employees (15 percent) to large organisations with more than 250 employees (14 percent). The majority of the organisations consisted of small (10-49 employees) and medium-sized (50 to 249 employees) organisations. The organisations were able to attend up to 15 digital workshops, for example to identify the right model and optimise work processes. In addition, they were able to participate in digital and face-to-face networking meetings to share experiences and insights.

While 51% of organisations met the official start date of 1 February 2024, others started between January and June. By October 2024, 41 organisations had either completed or were about to complete the test phase. Of the original 45 organisations, two dropped out due to economic challenges or lack of internal support for the four-day week – both larger organisations.

Background

There have been experiments and projects on the four-day week in several countries, for example in the USA, Portugal and the UK. In partnership with the non-profit organisation ‘4 Day Week Global’, the Berlin-based consultancy Intraprenör organised the first large-scale pilot study on the four-day week for Germany. The pilot study was a scientifically and organisationally supported six-month test of the four-day week in organisations. The focus was on trialling reduced working hours with the same salary and productivity.

Prof. Dr Julia Backmann is Chair of Transformation of the Working World, Co-Director of the Centre for Business Transformation at the University of Münster and scientific director of the pilot study on the four-day week. Dr Felix Hoch is an academic advisor at the Chair for Transformation of the World of Work at the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics and scientific co-leader of the pilot study on the four-day week. Carsten Meier is Managing Partner and co-founder of the management consultancy Intraprenör and co-initiator of the pilot study on the four-day week in Germany.

Further Information

(https://www.wiwi.uni-muenster.de/tow/de/4DW-Executive-Summary)
Zusammenfassung der Studie auf den Seiten des Lehrstuhls für Transformation der Arbeitswelt