Interest in the four-day working week is surging across the United Kingdom, driven by concerns over burnout, technological advances, and lessons from the pandemic. A new study published in Nature's Humanities and Social Sciences Communications journal has examined 15 Australian companies that adopted the 100:80:100 model—where employees receive full pay for 80% of their hours while maintaining 100% productivity—and found that none reported a drop in output.
Researchers interviewed key decision-makers from firms ranging from logistics to publishing. Despite the model being relatively new, 14 of the 15 companies continued with the four-day week after their trial, with one company having operated it for nearly eight years. Productivity either increased or remained stable across all firms, with six reporting a rise. The average success rating given by participants was 8.5 out of 10.
Interestingly, the primary motivation for six firms was not productivity but reducing employee burnout. A 2025 Beyond Blue survey highlighted that one in two Australian workers face burnout, a trend mirrored in the UK. One chief executive of a health tech firm noted that levels of attrition, absenteeism, and sick days were key indicators of the policy's success. Another financial firm’s CEO emphasised the importance of encouraging work-life balance for clients while practicing it internally.
The concept, first popularised in the 1970s energy crisis, has regained traction after the COVID-19 pandemic forced a global rethink of work. In the UK, unions are pushing for shorter hours, and AI giant OpenAI has called for trials to redistribute productivity gains. One firm abandoned the idea but cited timing issues rather than flaws in the model.
