Spotlight on the Four-day Week – Rethinking work without losing pay: Work less, achieve more?
Is the four-day week a game-changer or just a trendy idea? Rita Fontinha shares what happened when companies in the UK and Portugal put it to the test – no pay cuts, just smarter working.
A bold idea that’s catching on
These days, it seems like everyone’s talking about work–life balance, burnout and how to be productive without being permanently exhausted. One idea that’s getting more and more attention? The four-day work week.
At Henley, we’ve been researching this shift in how work is organised – looking at what happens when people work fewer hours but still get paid the same. My colleague James Walker and I have spent the past few years digging into the facts behind the headlines.
From fringe concept to serious contender
In 2019, James and I co-authored the first independent study on the four-day week in the UK. We ran it again in 2021 to see how things had changed – and the shift in attitude was clear. What started as a niche or even ‘radical’ idea quickly gained traction. The pandemic played a big part in that.
Business leaders started to see the four-day week not just as something nice for staff, but as a practical tool. It helped with wellbeing, sure – but also with hiring, keeping great people and even boosting productivity.
“Business leaders started to see the four-day week not just as something nice for staff, but as a practical tool.”
The four-day week is a work-time reduction measure which is highly valued by all, but mostly by those who cannot enjoy other flexible working practices.
Taking it further: Portugal’s national trial
After our UK research, I helped co-ordinate Portugal’s first national four-day week trial, alongside economist Pedro Gomes. It was one of the largest government-backed pilots in the world.
“It was one of the largest government-backed pilots in the world.”
We worked with 41 companies across a mix of industries. Each one tested a shorter working week – no pay cuts – for six months. To keep things rigorous, we used a quasi-experimental design, comparing them with similar businesses that didn’t make the change.
What we found
The results were striking. Companies reported stronger team cohesion, better productivity and happier employees. Staff said they felt less stressed, had more time for life outside work and felt their wellbeing had improved.
Absenteeism dropped. So did staff turnover. In short, when people had more time off, they didn’t slack – they thrived.
“When people had more time off, they didn’t slack – they thrived.”
But it wasn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Companies across diverse sectors – from professional services to manufacturing – adopted different models to suit their own operations. Some compressed the same hours into fewer days, others shifted tasks or used rotating schedules. That flexibility turned out to be crucial to making it work.
A step toward smarter work
At Henley, our goal is to support wider conversations about the future of work, responsible business and what sustainable productivity really looks like. The four-day week isn’t just about reducing hours – it’s about rethinking how work is organised and valued.
As more countries run their own pilots, I’m continuing to be involved in this research – helping organisations, policymakers and workers navigate this important transition.
This isn’t just a passing trend. It’s a real opportunity to shape a healthier, more balanced working world.
Benefits of a four-day week: Portugal's national trial
| Employer | Employee |
|---|---|
| Improved productivity | Enhanced wellbeing |
| Good team cohesion | Better work-life balance |
| Increased employee satisfaction | Reductions in stress and burnout |
| Decrease in absenteeism | |
| Lower turnover rates |
Author
Dr Rita Fontinha
Associate Professor of Strategic Human Resource Management
Rita Fontinha is an Associate Professor of Strategic Human Resource Management in the International Business and Strategy department at Henley. Her broad research interests focus on the way human resource management practices may potentially influence attitudes and behaviours in organisations, which may, ultimately, influence organisational performance.
See Rita's profile