STUDIENBERICHT

4-TAGE-WOCHE

by Intraprenör & Universität Münster

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4-TAGE-WOCHE.ORG
 Contributors

University of Münster
Prof. Dr. Julia Backmannn
Dr. Felix Hoch
Johannes Hüby
Marika Platz
Dr. Matthias Sinnemann

Intraprenör
Carsten Meier
Jan Bühren

Suggested Citation: Backmann, J., Hoch, F., Hüby, J., Platz, M., Sinnemann, M.F., 2024, “The
4-Day-Week in Germany: First Results of Germany's Trial on Work Time Reduction,” Intraprenör,
Berlin, GER.

PUBLISHED BY
Intraprenör GmbH
Am Krögel 2
10179 Berlin
www.intraprenör.de
www.4tagewoche.org

2
OUTLINE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 5. PERFORMANCE & PRODUCTIVITY 26

1. STUDY CONTEXT 6 6. SATISFACTION & EMPLOYER

ATTRACTIVENESS 28

2. ORGANIZATION OF THE TRIAL &

6.1 SATISFACTION 28
RESEARCH DESIGN 7
6.2 RECRUITING 28
6.3 RETENTION 30
2.1 THE COORDINATING & RESEARCH TEAM 7
2.2 RECRUITMENT OF INTERESTED
7. HEALTH 32
ORGANIZATIONS 7
2.3 PREPARATION & SUPPORT FOR PARTICIPATING
7.1 STRESS 32
ORGANIZATIONS 8
7.2 SPORT 33
2.4 DATA COLLECTION 8
7.3 SLEEP 34
2.4.1 SURVEYS 9
7.4 SICK DAYS 37
2.4.2 INTERVIEWS 11
2.4.3 SMARTWATCH TRACKING 11
2.4.4 HAIR SAMPLES 12 8. TIME USE & SOCIAL IMPACT 39
2.4.5 CONTROL GROUPS 12
2.4.6 ETHICS & DATA SECURITY 13 8.1 PERSONAL TIME 39
2.5 GERMAN STUDY IN INTERNATIONAL 8.2 SOCIAL & CARE WORK 39
COMPARISON: KEY FEATURES 13 8.3 CARBON FOOTPRINT 41

3. SAMPLE DESCRIPTION 16 9. EVALUATION & OUTLOOK BY

PARTICIPANTS 42
3.1 PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS 16
3.1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL SAMPLE & 9.1 EVALUATION & OUTLOOK BY
DESCRIPTIVES 16 ORGANIZATIONS & MANAGEMENT 42
3.1.2 EXPECTATIONS & MOTIVATIONS 19 9.2 EVALUATION & OUTLOOK BY EMPLOYEES 43
3.1.3 EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT 20
3.2 PARTICIPATING EMPLOYEES 20
10. CONCLUSION 45

4. WORK CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 4DW 22 10.1 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 45

10.2 CONCLUDING REMARKS & ASSESSING
4.1 WORK TIME 22 THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE 4DW IN
4.2 MEASUREMENTS PRIORITIZED BY GERMANY 45
ORGANIZATIONS 23
4.3 MEASURES IMPLEMENTED BY EMPLOYEES 23
A MESSAGE FROM 4 DAY WEEK GLOBAL 47

REFERENCES 48

3
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In early 2024, 45 organizations across diverse industries in Germany aimed to trial a four-day-week (4DW) schedule for a period
of six months. This report presents data from organizations that have either completed the trial or are about to finish by the end
of the year.

INDUSTRY REPRESENTATION &

ORGANIZATION SIZE PREPARATION & SUPPORT

The participating organizations spanned various in- Organizations had the opportunity to attend up to 15
dustries, including professional services, manufactur- digital workshops on topics about how to introduce the
ing, construction, health care and social services, IT, 4DW, such as defining framework conditions, optimiz-
and utilities. Organizations ranged in size from mi- ing work processes, and legal considerations. They also
cro-organizations with fewer than 9 employees (13%) had access to digital and in-person networking oppor-
to large organizations with over 250 employees (14%). tunities to share experiences and insights.
The majority were small (10-49 employees) or medi-
um-sized (50-249 employees) organizations (73%).

ORGANIZATIONS DROPPING OUT

START OF THE TRIAL
Out of the original 45 organizations, two large orga-
nizations discontinued their participation due to eco-
While 51% of the organizations adhered to the official
nomic difficulties or lack of internal support for the
start date of February 1st, 2024, others began their
4DW.
4DW trial between January and June. This approach
allowed organizations to tailor the implementation to
their specific operational needs, offering greater flex-
ibility.
DATA COLLECTION

The research involved the collection of data in three

IMPLEMENTATION FLEXIBILITY
waves and multiple data sources. Subjective percep-
tions of employees and managers were captured via
Organizations had the autonomy to determine how
surveys and interviews. Further, the research team
they implemented the 4DW. While 60% of participat-
utilized smartwatches and hair samples to collect
ing organizations applied the 4DW to their entire work-
objective physiological data on the individual level
force, 40% limited it to selected employees or teams.
capturing detailed information about stress, physical
Larger organizations predominantly implemented
activities, and sleep. Moreover, organizational metrics
the 4DW only for specific departments. Organizations
serve as objective data on the organization level. Con-
also implemented a variety of different work reduction
trol groups within organizations that did not adopt the
models varying by the degree of time reduction and
4DW for all employees provided a baseline comparison
flexibility of days off. 34% of organizations reduced
in addition to the comparisons over time.
work time by 20%, while 20% opted for a reduction of
11-19%. 85% of the organizations designated one full
day off each week, while 15% chose alternative models.

IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES

EXPECTATIONS & MOTIVATION To compensate for the reduced working hours, em-
ployees made several adjustments, such as reducing
The primary reasons for organizations to trial the 4DW distractions (65%), optimizing processes (63%), and
included enhancing employer attractiveness (89%), modifying meeting structures (52%). Others stated to
improving employee health (77%), productivity growth utilize focus time (32%) or introduced new digital tools
(57%), and future orientation (37%) . (25%) to further enhance work efficiency.

4
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CONT.

WORK TIME & OVERTIME ABSENTEEISM

The trial resulted in a significant reduction in both We do not find strong evidence for an improvement in
weekly workdays (-0.45 days) and weekly work hours employee absenteeism. Although organizational-level
(-3.95 hours). At the same time monthly overtime de- data showed a slight decrease in monthly sick days,
creased (-1.58 hours). the difference compared to 2023 is not statistically
significant. Likewise, while employees self-reported a
decrease in absence from work the same applied for
the control group, suggesting seasonal differences as
PERFORMANCE & PRODUCTIVITY
the underlying reason.

Financial performance metrics such as revenue and

profit do not show a significant difference compared
to the previous year. However, the fact that these met-
TIME USE
rics remain stable, while work hours were significantly
reduced, suggest that at least some productivity gains
have been realized. Top management perceptions We find that participants had more time for their fam-
and self-reported employee data support this. ily, their friends, physical activity, and self-care. For in-
stance, before the trial, 64% of employees expressed a
desire to spend more time with family. During the trial
SATISFACTION & this figure dropped to only 50%.
EMPLOYER ATTRACTIVENESS

Overall employee satisfaction increased and orga-

nizations reported improvements in recruitment and ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
retention rates. However, we find only little evidence
for increased job satisfaction and decreased turnover
International studies have found that the implemen-
intention reported by employees. Likewise, we do not
tation of a 4DW can significantly reduce employees’
find solid evidence for improved turnover rates as mea-
and companies’ environmental footprints, primarily
sured by objective metrics.
through decreased commuting and lower electricity
consumption in the workplace. However, in our sample,
no such reductions were observed. Commuting times
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & SLEEP remained unchanged, and there was no evidence to
suggest that activities undertaken on the additional
The introduction of the 4DW significantly increased day off were particularly environmentally friendly.
physical activity levels, as measured by step counts,
and intensity minutes. In comparison to the control
group, 4DW participants took more steps (+1.848 steps)
and were more physically active (+24.45 min) per week.
POST-TRIAL CONTINUATION
Additionally, participants in the 4DW slept longer per
week than those in the control group (+38 minutes).
73% of organizations stated that they will continue
the 4DW beyond the trial, either by extending the trial
phase or fully implementing it. Meanwhile, 20% opted
EMPLOYEE HEALTH to discontinue the 4DW, and 7% remained undecided.
From the employee perspective 83% wish to continue.
Participants reported significant improvements in These findings demonstrate an overall positive recep-
mental and physical health. Smartwatch data con- tion of the 4DW.
firmed these findings, showing that participants in the
4DW experienced fewer stress minutes per week (-89
minutes) compared to those in the control group.
5
 INTRODUCTION

1. STUDY CONTEXT
The concept of a four-day-week (4DW) has been gaining mo- (Statista, 2024b). The resulting economic loss from employee ab-
mentum internationally, as governments, organizations, and em- sences due to illness amounted to €207.1 billion in gross value
ployees seek to improve working conditions and work-life balance added, with €30.2 billion of this attributed specifically to mental
while maintaining or even enhancing productivity. This trend has health-related issues (Statista, 2024c).
been driven by a combination of social, economic, and techno-
logical factors that have reshaped how work is organized and Consequently, organizations are increasingly recognizing the
understood in the 21st century. Countries like Iceland, New Zea- need to improve working conditions to retain and attract em-
land, and the United Kingdom (UK) have led the charge in trialing ployees while maintaining productivity.
shorter workweeks, with numerous case studies suggesting signif-
icant benefits in terms of employee well-being, job satisfaction, Therefore, 45 organizations opted to experiment with a 4DW to
and productivity. These initial results have prompted a growing test the implementation of an innovative work model with re-
interest in introducing new work models paving the way for the duced working hours and assess whether these changes might
first large-scale German trial of the 4DW. benefit both their organizations and employees. By shifting the
focus from time spent at work to outcomes achieved, this mod-
Despite growing interest, the conversation around the 4DW in el—drawing on research approaches from previous trials in other
Germany is notably polarized. Debates are centering around the countries—has the potential to influence work performance and
economic implications of reducing work hours, especially at a time improve employee well-being.
when inflation and labor shortages are already putting pressure
on organizations. While advocates emphasize the potential ben- Hence, the primary objective of this study is to investigate the
efits—such as increased employee engagement, higher produc- extent to which the introduction of the 4DW impacts employ-
tivity, and better health outcomes—critics express concerns over ee work behavior. To achieve this, a comprehensive scientific
the feasibility of a 4DW in certain sectors and its general sus- approach was taken, integrating a variety of perspectives. This
tainability. The latter further argue that industries such as child includes subjective survey-based questionnaires and interviews
or elderly care, transportation, and manufacturing which rely on as well as objective physiological smartwatch tracking data and
fixed hours, shift work, or continuous service, may struggle to im- hair samples to analyze stress levels. Accordingly, this report
plement a shortened week without sacrificing service quality or presents an overview of the initial findings from the organizations
increasing operational costs​. and employees involved in the trial, with particular attention to
the employees' perspectives on work time reduction.
Moreover, when we look at Germany’s economy, it is currently fac-
ing stagnation. Declining order backlogs and weak demand are
putting pressure on the export-oriented industrial sector, while
consumer-related service sectors, such as retail, transportation,
and hospitality, continue to experience unfavorable conditions.
Despite falling inflation and increased purchasing power due to
higher real wages, consumer confidence has worsened, suggest-
ing a delayed recovery until the end of the year. Labor market in-
dicators remain weak, with no significant recovery expected in the
second half of 2024 (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klima-
schutz, 2024). Associated with the challenging economic situa-
tion, Germany is experiencing a notable shortage of skilled work-
ers, with approximately 701,490 job vacancies reported in 2023
(Statista, 2024a). This shortage of skilled labor has reached critical
levels in sectors such as construction, IT, childcare, and healthcare.

In addition mental health-related absenteeism has reached wor-

rying levels in recent years. In 2023, the average German work-
er took more than 15 sick days (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2024),
with 16.1% of these absences attributed to mental health issues

6
 ORGANIZATION & RESEARCH DESIGN

2. ORGANIZATION OF THE
TRIAL & RESEARCH DESIGN
2.1 THE COORDINATING & RESEARCH TEAM

The first 4DW trial in Germany was a collaborative effort initiated University of Münster
by 4 Day Week Global and the German consultancy Intraprenör. The chair for Transformation of Work at the University of Münster
The scientific part of the study was led by the chair for Transfor- led the research part of the 4DW trial in Germany. The chair fo-
mation of Work at the University of Münster supported by a re- cuses on the impact of technological and societal changes on the
search team of the Boston College. The various members of the future of work, employees, and organizations. The research team
different teams are introduced below. was led by Professor Dr. Julia Backmann and Assistant Professor
Dr. Felix Hoch, who, along with Johannes Hüby, Marika Platz, and
Assistant Professor Dr. Matthias Sinnemann, comprised the core
research team for the German trial. The team was supported by
4 Day Week Global several research assistants and masters' students who helped with
4 Day Week Global is a nonprofit organization co-founded by the data collection. As a result of this research, two PhD theses
Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart, dedicated to transform- and several master’s theses are currently in progress. The research
ing the future of work. Their mission is to support organizations team did not receive external funding or financial compensation
in implementing the 4DW and to lead large-scale research proj- to conduct this research.
ects around the world. By doing so, they aim to shift the conver-
sation about the future of work from focusing on working hours
to prioritizing productivity outcomes and employee well-being.
The organization has successfully conducted several 4DW trials
across six continents, including countries such as the UK, U.S., Ire- Boston College
land, Australia/New Zealand, South Africa, Portugal, and Brazil, The Münster team also closely collaborated with the research
with additional trials currently in progress. In the German trial, key team at Boston College, which included Professor Dr. Juliet Schor,
contributors from 4 Day Week Global included Dr. Dale Whelehan Associate Professor Dr. Wen Fan, Guolin Gu, and Ami Campbell.
(CEO), Karen Lowe (Director of Marketing and Communications), The Boston College team, which conducted several 4DW pilot
and Alex Soojung-Kim Pang (Director of Research and Innovation), studies (including the largest study to date in the UK), provided
all of whom played pivotal roles in initiating and guiding the trial. the survey instrument used in the German trial. Drawing on their
prior experience, they also provided academic expertise to sup-
port the German research team throughout the trial phase.

Intraprenör 2.2 RECRUITMENT OF INTERESTED ORGANIZATIONS

Intraprenör is a Berlin-based consultancy, advising organizations
in becoming attractive employers by specializing in people and In cooperation with 4 Day Week Global, Intraprenör initiated and
culture strategies. As pioneers for the future of work (called “New organized the first pilot study of the 4DW in Germany. In Septem-
Work” in Germany), Intraprenör has already been recognized for ber 2023, Intraprenör launched a call for organizations interested
its innovative approaches with the XING New Work Award and in testing the 4DW over a six-month pilot period. This call was ac-
the HR Excellence Award. As the German pilot project initiator companied by a major launch event in Berlin, inviting interested
and practice partner, Intraprenör led the campaigning, company organizations to learn about the process and the scientific as-
acquisition, and consulting parts of the 4DW trial. The team was pects of the study. Following this event, four more specific digi-
led by Carsten Meier, Co-Founder and Partner at Intraprenör, and tal sessions targeted different types of organizations. Companies
Jan Bühren, Head of Research & Senior Consultant at Intraprenör. were invited to apply until the end of November 2023. During this
phase, 278 companies expressed interest, and participants were
subsequently selected through information webinars and individ-
ual consultations.

7
ORGANIZATION & RESEARCH DESIGN

As the study aimed to test reduced working hours without a cor- vary. To help participating organizations design a model suited to
responding proportional salary reduction, the willingness of or- their circumstances, Intraprenör developed a framework that was
ganizations to comply with this requirement was a key selection introduced during the planning phase.
criterion. Therefore, organizations that indicated an intention to
reduce pay proportionally to the reduction in working hours were The framework structures various 4DW models along two axes: the
excluded. Additionally, some organizations expressed interest in degree of work-time reduction (x-axis) and the level of flexibility
testing a compressed 4DW without reducing working hours (e.g., (y-axis). This approach highlights the diversity of possible models,
distributing the standard 40-hour workweek across four days). allowing organizations to explore different options. The models
These organizations were also not included in the study. were informed by Intraprenör’s consulting experience and input
from Martin Gaedt, a German author and speaker who wrote the
To achieve a diverse sample reflecting the structure of the Ger- first German-language book on the 4DW. Gaedt’s book profiles 151
man economy, the representation of different industries, as well German-speaking companies that have already implemented a
as a variety of company sizes, was another key consideration. For 4DW, offering practical insights into different approaches.
inclusion in the trial, the active involvement and support of key
decision-makers, such as top management, works councils, and/ The framework introduced 12 different models, each illustrated
or supervisory boards, was the final selection criterion. As a re- with a real-life example. These examples provided organizations
sult, the sample of the German trial only includes organizations with practical information and inspiration, making it easier to ini-
that were interested in experimenting with alternative work-time tiate internal discussions about the most appropriate approach.
models. Based on these key selection criteria, Intraprenör selected
51 organizations to participate in the trial.

2.3 PREPARATION & SUPPORT FOR PARTICIPATING

ORGANIZATIONS

To facilitate implementation, participating organizations were

provided with access to a digital knowledge platform, an online
learning program, and the opportunity to attend 15 digital work-
shops offered by either 4 Day Week Global and/or Intraprenör
during both the planning and implementation phases. These
workshops covered topics including defining framework condi-
The goal was to offer flexible, accessible options that would en-
tions, setting up a project team and project plan, defining goals,
courage organizations to experiment with the model in a way
metrics, and boundaries, different models of the 4DW, legal ques-
that aligned with their specific needs and contexts.
tions related to the 4DW, leveraging digitalization and AI in the
4DW, optimizing work processes, best practices, and internal and
external communication. Further, Intraprenör offered monthly
2.4 DATA COLLECTION
consultation hours, personalized advice, and networking events,
such as an event held in Münster mid-way through the pilot in
The data collection for this report was conducted in three waves:
June 2024.
pre-pilot (wave 1), mid-pilot (wave 2), and end-pilot (wave 3). A
summary of the planned research timeline for organizations start-
A key element of the planning phase was supporting organiza-
ing the trial on February 1st is presented below:
tions in identifying the most suitable 4DW model. Although the
framework proposed by 4 Day Week Global for trials typically fol-
During the pre-pilot phase, the status quo of the participating or-
lows the 100-80-100™ principle developed by the cofounders of
ganizations and employees was assessed before the introduction
4 Day Week Global, organizations had the flexibility to tailor the
of the 4DW. The mid-pilot phase occurred approximately three
work-time reduction according to their specific industry, organi-
months into the trial, capturing the initial experiences and feed-
zational context, and needs. The 100-80-100™ principle refers to
back following the implementation of the 4DW. The final data
maintaining 100% pay for 80% of the working time while ensuring
collection took place about six months after the 4DW was intro-
100% productivity. While this principle is often used synonymously
duced, during the end-pilot phase. At this stage, the overall per-
with the 4DW, previous studies have shown that 4DW models can

8
 ORGANIZATION & RESEARCH DESIGN

ception of the trial was evaluated, and organizations were asked At the end of the six-month trial phase, key respondents complet-
whether they planned to adopt the 4DW permanently, extend the ed an end-term survey. This survey gathered insights on wheth-
trial, or discontinue the work reduction model. er the organizations decided to continue with the 4DW, their
planned next steps, perceived impacts of the 4DW on their op-
In addition, a fourth phase of data collection is planned for 2025, erations, and any notable events (such as mergers & acquisitions,
approximately one year after the organizations began imple- or layoffs, or regulatory shocks) encountered during implementa-
menting the work time reduction. However, these results are not tion. Additionally, a follow-up survey will be conducted one year
included in this report. Participation in the scientific part of the after the onboarding survey to evaluate the post-trial effects on
pilot project was voluntary, and it was not expected that every the participating organizations. As of now, this final survey is still
organization would participate in all four phases of the project. pending and is scheduled for distribution in 2025.

The data collection methods covered a wide range of areas. Employee-Specific Surveys
When designing the study, particular emphasis was placed on The employee-level surveys were conducted in three waves, and
combining both subjective research methods, such as question- targeted the employees of the participating organizations. Most
naire-based surveys and interviews, with objective measure- organizations provided the email addresses of employees switch-
ments, such as smartwatch tracking data and hair samples. The ing to a 4DW, as well as employees in the control group who re-
study therefore utilized a mixed-methods approach, incorporat- mained on a five-day schedule but participated in the study. How-
ing qualitative data (i.e., interviews) and quantitative data (i.e., ever, due to confidentiality concerns, four organizations opted not
surveys, smartwatch tracking, organizational metrics). The specif- to share employee contact details. In these cases, an anonymous
ic data collection methods are detailed in the following sections. link was provided for distribution among employees. To match
responses across the three waves for participants in anonymous
The research team at Boston College provided the survey instru- groups, an individual identifier was used, which employees could
ments to the research team at the University of Münster. The sur- enter in the first survey and repeated in each subsequent survey.
vey was first translated into German and then back-translated The surveys covered a range of topics, including demographic
into English to ensure that the meaning remained consistent after information, trial planning (wave 1), trial implementation (waves
translation. The German research team further adapted the sur- 2 and 3), work and employment conditions, health, well-being,
vey to the local context and added further questions. The survey life satisfaction, time use, care work, and environmental behav-
was then piloted by all members of the research team and shared ior. The first survey, conducted at the start of the 4DW, took ap-
with individuals outside the team to ensure that the questions proximately 25 minutes to complete. A second survey, distributed
were clearly understood and easy to follow. around three months into the trial, assessed whether employees
were able to implement the 4DW schedule as planned, as well as
their work performance, health, well-being, life satisfaction, time
2.4.1 SURVEYS use, and care responsibilities. This survey took about 10 minutes.
The end-term survey, distributed at the end of the six-month tri-
Organization-Specific Surveys al, asked participants to evaluate the 4DW’s impact, and once
At the start of the study, an onboarding survey was conduct- again included questions about work and employment, health,
ed with the participating organizations. Each organization was well-being, life satisfaction, time use, care work, and environmen-
asked to name a key respondent, typically a member of the top tal behavior. This survey took approximately 20-25 minutes to
management team, to complete the survey. The primary goal of complete. At this stage, the study includes data from three mea-
this initial survey was to collect general information about the or- surement points.
ganizations, including details such as industry, number of employ-
ees, current work schedules, and specific plans for the 4DW trial
(e.g., anticipated start date, number of employees involved, and Baseline Mid-term End-term
the chosen work-time reduction model). In addition to these de- Employee Survey Employee Survey Employee Survey
tails, we also requested key performance metrics to enable com- (wave 1) (wave 2) (wave 3)
parisons between the pre-trial period in 2023 and the trial period Respondents: Respondents: Respondents:
in 2024. These included indicators such as revenue, profit, hours 643 420 332
worked, and the number of sick days. The organizations were also 4DW: 535 4DW: 355 4DW: 293
given the opportunity to identify additional performance indica- Control: 108 Control: 65 Control: 39
tors of particular relevance to their organizations.

9
ORGANIZATION & RESEARCH DESIGN

TIMELINE OF PLANNED RESEARCH APPROACH

DATA COLLECTION PROCESS

10
 ORGANIZATION & RESEARCH DESIGN

In wave 1, 643 employees responded (108 in the control group). about the process and provided written or verbal consent (with
By wave 2, the number of respondents dropped to 420 (65 in the verbal consent being recorded) for both the interview recording
control group). In wave 3, there were 332 respondents (39 in the and the data collection process. To ensure the participants’ an-
control group). This data highlights a gradual decrease in partici- onymity, no detailed case descriptions or specific information
pation across all three waves as usual in panel surveys. It is import- about respondents are included in this report when quoting the
ant to note, that some organizations delayed the start of their interviews. Before including the quotes into this report, they were
trial until as late as June (see section 3.1.1), meaning not all em- translated into English. Further, we did not change the wording or
ployees have completed the mid-term and end-term survey yet. content of these quotes, but occasionally corrected grammatical
Additionally, a follow-up survey is planned for one year after the mistakes to enhance readability.
start of the trial to assess mid-term effects at the individual level.
The interview schedule covered various topics. In wave 1 we cov-
ered participants’ backgrounds, expectations regarding the 4DW,
2.4.2 INTERVIEWS plans for the implementation process, and managerial support
for the implementation (managers and initiators only). In all three
The qualitative study involved interviews with selected individuals waves, we asked about organizational culture, interactions be-
across various roles, including top management, project initia- tween supervisors and employees, interactions among employ-
tors, leaders (i.e., employees with leadership responsibility, such as ees, individual and team dynamics, as well as communication. In
team leaders), employees, and, where applicable, representatives wave 2 and 3, we explored implementation challenges, perceived
from the HR department or works councils. Unlike the quantita- changes in working measures and processes, and the perceived
tive research, which was based on questionnaire surveys targeting impact on employees’ personal and professional lives, as well as
all participants, the qualitative study focused on a subgroup of on the organization as a whole.
participants from different organizations. The objective of these
interviews was to gain a deeper understanding of the effects of The three-stage interview process not only provided an opportu-
transitioning to a 4DW on the organization, and to capture atti- nity to understand reactions to the new working time model but
tudes, processes, and changes in detail, placing them in the spe- also offered insights into how the implementation unfolded. This
cific organizational context. These interviews allowed for valuable allowed for a deeper understanding of key mechanisms over time
insights into organization-specific dynamics as well as individual and the effects on the organization and its employees.
and team behavior.
The research team already conducted a total of over 600 inter-
A few months prior to the trial, the lead researcher also engaged views across the three waves of the study. Specifically, 299 inter-
in discussions with the research team that conducted the qual- views were conducted during wave 1. The interviews for waves 2
itative study during the UK 4DW trial, including Professor Bren- and 3 are still ongoing, with over 300 interviews already complet-
dan Burchell (Cambridge University), Dr. David Frayne (University ed. Notably, around one quarter of the interviewees did not switch
of Salford), and Dr. Daiga Kamerade (University of Salford). They to a 4DW, because they were either from the control group or top
shared their experiences and insights on conducting qualita- management. Additionally, follow-up interviews are planned for
tive research within the context of transitioning to a 4DW, which one year after the start of the trial to gain further mid-term in-
helped the German research team better understand the specific sights.
challenge. Their input provided valuable guidance on capturing
nuances during implementation that might not be fully reflected
in survey data, offering a deeper perspective on issues that can 2.4.3 SMARTWATCH TRACKING
arise throughout the transition process.
A common critique of previous studies on
The German research team developed interview guidelines and the 4DW in other countries was the reli-
conducted interviews both digitally and on-site. The research ance on self-reported health/stress data,
team visited more than 40 different organizational sites at the which focused on capturing individuals’
beginning and end of the trial phase. All interviews were recorded perceptions. To address this limitation,
for subsequent analysis. The recordings were automatically tran- the current study incorporated objective-
scribed using Whisper, an AI-based transcription tool. After au- ly measurable physiological parameters
to-transcription, the texts were compared to the original audio, to supplement subjective sources like questionnaire data and
and the transcripts were anonymized to exclude personal names interviews. Specifically, physiological data and vital parameters
or names of organizations. These anonymized transcripts were were continuously recorded using Garmin® smartwatches (model:
then used in the data analysis. All participants were fully informed Vivosmart 5) provided to a subset of participants.

11
ORGANIZATION & RESEARCH DESIGN

The primary focus of the analysis was on key metrics, such as heart In this study, cortisol levels were measured through hair analysis, a
rate (variability; HRV), a recognized indicator of stress, as well as well-established and reliable method for assessing long-term cor-
the number of steps and intensity minutes to measure physical tisol levels. Unlike saliva or blood samples, which are influenced by
activity. Additionally, data on sleep quantity and quality were short-term fluctuations, hair analysis provides a stable indication
collected, allowing the research team to assess the participants’ of chronic stress (O'Brien et al., 2013). Additionally, it is character-
well-being in more detail. ized by simple, non-invasive sample collection. Hair samples were
collected at two points: once in wave 1 to establish a baseline, and
To enhance the contextualization of this physiological data, once in wave 3 to evaluate cortisol levels after the implementa-
participants were asked to reflect on their experiences in short tion of the 4DW. Each hair sample consisted of a strand of 3 cm,
monthly surveys. These surveys included questions about whether taken directly from the scalp (see e.g., Sauvé et al., 2007). Since
the recorded stress levels were work-related or due to personal human hair grows at an average rate of about 1 cm per month,
life stressors. Moreover, the inclusion of wearables in the study not a 3 cm sample reflects cortisol levels over the past three months.
only increases the reliability of the findings but also opens up new Hence, we can compare the stress levels in the three months prior
opportunities for understanding how changes in work structure in- to implementation with the stress levels in three months during
fluence both physical and psychological health in real time. These the trial.
objective physiological measurements provided a comprehensive,
real-time view of how the 4DW impacted participants’ physical We collected 256 hair samples in wave 1. Of these, 177 were from
and mental health. participants in the treatment group and 79 from the control
group. Data collection for wave 3 is still ongoing.
The data were transmitted to the research team via the Fitrockr
application, which ensured pseudonymization for data protec- The hair samples were analyzed anonymously at a certified labo-
tion. To recognize the valuable contributions of participants in this ratory at University Hospital Münster (UKM) ensuring compliance
part of the research, each individual will receive a personalized with data protection regulations. To protect the privacy of partic-
report detailing their tracked physiological data over the course ipants, only cortisol levels were measured, without testing for any
of the study. This report will offer insights into trends related to other substances. The determination of cortisol levels from hair
their stress levels, physical activity, and sleep patterns, helping samples not only requires elaborate sample preparation, but also
participants better understand their health and well-being during complex laboratory analysis, which requires both high technical
the 4DW trial. As a further form of appreciation, participants were precision and careful evaluation of the measurement results.
allowed to keep the smartwatch provided for the study, enabling
them to continue monitoring their health beyond the scope of the Therefore, the results of the hair samples taken at the trial peri-
research. od are not yet available due to the time-intensive nature of the
process.
The final sample consists of 140 participants who continuously
wore smartwatches and shared data, including 115 participants
from the treatment group and 25 from the control group. The 2.4.5 CONTROL GROUPS
smartwatches collected thousands of data points, representing
over 13,000 person-days of data. Control groups are crucial in research for accurately evaluating
the effects of an intervention. These groups consist of individuals
or organizations that do not participate in the intervention. In this
2.4.4 HAIR SAMPLES pilot study, control groups within the participating organizations
were formed in one of two ways: either by selecting entire de-
As part of the study’s objective to collect further information partments, locations, or teams that did not take part in the trial,
about health data, cortisol levels were measured as an indicator or by including individual employees within participating orga-
of the participants’ stress levels (Staufenbiel et al, 2013). Cortisol is nizations who did not personally transition to the 4DW. Control
a hormone released in response to physical or psychological stress. groups are especially valuable as they allow direct comparisons
While short-term increases in cortisol are a natural bodily adapta- between participants who adopted the 4DW and those who con-
tion to acute stress, chronically elevated cortisol levels can lead to tinued with the standard schedule within the same organization.
health issues as a result of prolonged stress exposure. Therefore, This helps to differentiate between changes caused by the 4DW
measuring cortisol is particularly effective for evaluating chronic and those caused by other factors (e.g. economic conditions or
stress in long-term studies (Russell et al, 2012). seasonal effects).

12
 ORGANIZATION & RESEARCH DESIGN

To systematically capture the differences between the interven- out increasing hours on the remaining four days. As a result,
tion and the control group, data collection—such as employee the German pilot relied on a range of 4DW work-time re-
surveys, smartwatch tracking data, hair samples, and interviews— duction models, which were defined before the study but
was conducted for both groups. may have been adapted throughout the process. Detailed
records were kept regarding which specific days were im-
2.4.6 ETHICS & DATA SECURITY pacted by the reduction, whether it involved a fixed day off
(such as Friday or Monday) or a more flexible approach.
All researchers at the University of Münster work according to eth-
ics protocols administered by the university. The purpose of these An additional feature of the German study was the active
ethics protocols is to protect the well-being of all participants. In involvement of co-determination bodies, such as staff coun-
addition, we adhere to GDPR-compliant protocols for data securi- cils, in some organizations, to better understand the orga-
ty and confidentiality. Both the organizations and the individuals nizational processes during implementation. Beyond the
providing data can rest assured that all data is handled with the extensive quantitative survey data gathered from key re-
utmost care and confidentiality. As the data is collected exclu- spondents and employees participating in the trial, the Ger-
sively by us as an external research team, anonymity and confi- man study also employed an in-depth qualitative approach.
dentiality are maintained for employees. All analyses are based Based on the number of interviews and site visits conducted,
on anonymized data and no organizations are named in the me- this is the largest qualitative study of the 4DW to date to
dia and publications unless they specifically wished to be named our knowledge. This in-depth approach provides critical in-
publicly. sights into employee attitudes, team dynamics, individual
experiences, and internal organizational processes during
the transition.
2.5 GERMAN STUDY IN INTERNATIONAL
COMPARISON: KEY FEATURES Furthermore, the German study included control groups
within organizations, comparing employees who adopted
Studies on the implementation of the 4DW across various coun- the 4DW with those who did not, all while working in the
tries consistently demonstrate positive outcomes in terms of job same context. This allowed for a direct comparison between
satisfaction, productivity, and work-life balance. A total of 210 the treatment and control groups. Objective data was also
organizations started the 4DW pilot studies, involving more than collected through various means, including hair samples to
6,300 employees transitioning to reduced work schedules. Across measure cortisol levels and smartwatches to track move-
these studies, employees reported significant improvements in ment, activity levels, stress, and sleep patterns. The combi-
mental and physical health, reduced stress levels, and increased nation of subjective and objective data provides a unique
life satisfaction. At the same time, participating organizations ob- opportunity to analyze the impact of various work-time
served stable or even enhanced productivity, indicating that re- models on employee health and well-being in a compre-
ducing working hours did not negatively affect performance. hensive manner.

A key finding across these trials is that the vast majority of organi-
zations either continued with the 4DW after the pilot phase or are
planning to implement it long-term. This suggests that the 4DW
not only yields short-term benefits for employee well-being but
also contributes to long-term organizational stability and perfor-
mance. Notably, these positive effects were observed across var-
ious industries, organizational sizes, and national contexts, high-
lighting the model’s broad applicability and effectiveness.

Characteristics of the German Study

The 4DW trial in Germany demonstrates diversity of its 4DW mod-
els and the varying degrees of work-time reduction. While the
100-80-100™ principle was introduced and explained to the par-
ticipating organizations, it was acknowledged that different in-
dustries and organizational contexts require tailored approaches
to suit their unique needs. International studies have also shown
that not all organizations can reduce working time by 20% with-

13
ORGANIZATION & RESEARCH DESIGN

OVERVIEW OF COUNTRY STUDIES1

Study Design in a Country Comparison Main Findings

IRELAND (2022) The study in Ireland and the USA shows that the imple-
Participating organizations: 33 (Ireland (11), US (6), UK (2), mentation of the 4-day week led to a significant increase
Australia (1), New Zealand (1) Fully remote without specified in employee satisfaction and an improvement in general
headquarters (12)) well-being. The majority of participants wanted to keep
Trialing employees: 903 the new arrangement, which indicates broad acceptance
Date of pilot: February - July 2022 of the model. The positive effects included a reduction in
Data collection: Questionnaire-based organization- and fatigue and an improvement in health conditions, which
employee surveys emphasizes the relevance and potential benefits of such a
Data sample: 27 organizations provided survey data, 495 model for companies and employees.
employees completed all three questionnaires

UK (2022) The results of the 4-day week in the UK show that a sig-
Participating organizations: 61 in the UK nificant reduction in working hours combined with full pay
Trialing employees: 2,900 led to a variety of positive effects. Companies reported
Date of pilot: June - December 2022 improved overall performance, while employees noted in-
Data collection: Questionnaire-based organization and em- creased satisfaction and an improvement in their physi-
ployee surveys, interviews cal and mental health. In addition, the new working time
Data sample: 51 organizations provided survey data, 1,967 regulations and the associated flexibility contributed to
employees completed all three questionnaires and 58 inter- an increase in the well-being and work-life balance of em-
views were conducted ployees, which resulted in a significant reduction in absen-
teeism.

AUSTRALASIA (2022) The results of the Australasian study illustrate the

Participating organizations: 26 (Australia (10), New Zealand far-reaching positive effects of a 4-day working week.
(9), Europe (4), North America (3)) 88% of the participants received a full additional day off
Trialing employees: 758 per week. In particular, a significant reduction in burnout
Date of pilot: August 2022 - January 2023 and stress among employees was observed, while produc-
Data collection: Questionnaire-based organization- and tivity increased at the same time. Overall employee sat-
employee surveys isfaction reached high levels and notable environmental
Data sample: 22 organizations provided survey data, 547 benefits occurred through reduced commute times and
employees completed all three questionnaires increased participation in more environmentally friendly
activities. These results show the potential of such a model
to improve working conditions as well as the environmental
footprint.

1 Information is taken from 4DW Global's country reports and can be found on their website at https://www.4dayweek.com/research

14
 ORGANIZATION & RESEARCH DESIGN

OVERVIEW OF COUNTRY STUDIES CONT.

Study Design in a Country Comparison Main Findings

SOUTH AFRICA (2024) The results of the 4DW trial in South Africa showed a significant
Participating organizations: 28 (South Africa (27), Botswana positive impact on both revenue and productivity. 13 out of 21
(1)) organizations reported a 10.5% increase in revenue, weighted
Trialing employees: 470 by organization size, while productivity was also rated posi-
Date of pilot: March - August 2023 tively by business leaders. Nearly half of employees reported
Data collection: Questionnaire-based organization- and em- increased productivity, with notable reductions in stress and
ployee surveys, interviews burnout rates for many participants. Despite some employees
Data sample: 22 organizations provided survey data, 287 experiencing increased workloads, creativity at work improved
employees completed both questionnaires for more than half of participants, and 90% expressed a desire
to continue the 4DW.

The findings of the 4DW trial in Portugal suggest positive out-

PORTUGAL (2024)
comes both financially and operationally. Despite not collect-
Participating organizations: 41 (21 started the 4DW with the
ing direct financial data, many business leaders reported in-
pilot program, 20 adopted it earlier)
creases in revenue and profits in 2023, indicating no negative
Trialing employees: over 1000
impact on financial performance. Operational benefits includ-
Date of pilot: June - November 2023
ed reduced absenteeism, improved recruitment, lower staff
Data collection: Questionnaire-based organization- and em-
turnover, and enhanced worker commitment. Workers experi-
ployee surveys, interviews
enced better mental and physical health, with significant im-
Data sample: 31 organizations provided final survey data, 225
provements in life satisfaction and relationships. Additionally,
employees completed all three questionnaires plus control
managers noted cost savings in areas such as energy and office
data from 14 organizations with data of 160 (Prepilot) / 122
expenses. The vast majority of employees (93%) expressed a
(after 6 months) / 76 (both) employees; no information about
desire to continue the 4DW, emphasizing its benefits for work-
number of conducted interviews
life balance, stress reduction, and overall well-being.

BRAZIL (2024) The preliminary results of the 4-Day Week Brazil study suggest
Participating organizations: 21 in Brazil that the introduction of a 4-day week has positive effects on
Trialing employees: 280 employee satisfaction and productivity. Participants report-
Date of pilot: January - June 2024 ed an improved work-life balance and an increased sense of
Data collection: Questionnaire-based organization- and well-being. Nevertheless, challenges were also identified, par-
employee surveys ticularly in relation to deadlines and external requirements,
Data sample: 19 organizations provided survey data, ~207 which could potentially affect the implementation of the mod-
(80,2%) employees completed all three questionnaires el.

15
 SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

3. SAMPLE DESCRIPTION
3.1 PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

3.1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL SAMPLE & DESCRIPTIVES

As outlined in section 2.2, 51 organizations were initially recruit- The sample going forward consisted of 45 organizations, all but
ed and selected to take part in the German pilot study. However, one headquartered in Germany and spread across the country.
during the preparation and planning phase, six organizations ul- While one organization is headquartered in the UK, the partici-
timately decided not to proceed with the 4DW and chose to exit pating division is based in Germany. The map provides an overview
the study. The reasons for their decisions varied. One organization of the geographic distribution of our sample. If one organization
was facing economically challenging times and did not want to has participants at multiple locations, each one is represented on
add pressure by introducing a major organizational change. An- the map.
other organization, which relied on billing clients based on hours
worked, struggled to adapt to a more output-based model and The participating organizations span a wide range of industries.
reprioritized current initiatives accordingly. A small organization Consistent with pilot studies in other countries, the largest share
with fewer than 10 employees experienced a staff shortage due of organizations came from the professional and other services
to a long-term sick leave of a key employee, making it impractical sector, accounting for approximately 36% of the sample. The two
to move forward with the 4DW under those circumstances. An- next largest sectors are manufacturing and construction (18%)
other organization determined through internal evaluation that and healthcare and social services (13%). Other significant sectors
implementing the 4DW would not be feasible with their current included IT and telecoms, utilities, education, arts, entertainment,
staffing levels without affecting service times. Additionally, one and media, retail, and food, each representing between 4% and
organization encountered substantial difficulties in organizing 7% of the sample.
and planning the 4DW, demonstrated by shifting responsibilities
for implementation. Finally, one organization’s attempt to adopt The participating organizations display notable variation in size.
the 4DW was blocked by its works council, which rejected the pro- Small organizations, defined as those with 10 to 49 employees,
posal. make up the largest portion, accounting for 54% of the total sam-
ple. Medium-sized organizations, with 50 to 249 employees, rep-
These various reasons for non-participation highlight that the resent 19%, while large organizations, with over 250 employees,
preparation of a 4DW requires considerable time, careful plan- constitute 14%. Additionally, very small organizations, defined as
ning, and the full support of management and key personnel. those with fewer than 10 employees, comprise 13% of the sample.
Without this support and sufficient organizational readiness, im-
plementing a 4DW can be particularly challenging, especially in While the majority of organizations (51%) began their six-month
industries or organizations that already face operational or struc- pilot phase as scheduled in February 2024, some organizations
tural difficulties. (13%) started earlier. Others (35%) delayed their start dates to

REASONS NOT TO START THE 4DW

16
 SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

March, April, May, or June. For organizations that adjusted their paring for short-time work created internal disparities. In the end,
starting dates, we adapted the research timeline accordingly. Two it was a political decision to terminate the trial in order to avoid
organizations chose a stepwise approach, first reducing weekly major dissatisfaction and conflict between the two groups.
work hours to 36 before moving to 32 hours. One organization The second organization that exited after two months cited "eco-
delayed its start until January 2025 and, as a result, is not includ- nomic reasons" as their rationale to discontinue. Although they
ed in this report since its trial is still in the planning phase. The had only implemented the 4DW for a small portion of their work-
remaining 44 had approximately 900 employees who switched force, it remains unclear whether their exit was due to econom-
to a 4DW. ic concerns or challenges similar to the ones experienced by the
other organization that exited the trial. Interviews conducted at
Among the remaining sample of 44 organizations, one further or- the beginning of the trial indicated that not all members of the
ganization was excluded from the analysis due to its decision to organization were convinced of the potential benefits of the 4DW,
reduce salaries in proportion to the reduction in working hours. and the project did not have full support from the leadership
This approach essentially reflected a transition to part-time work, team. Interestingly, both organizations that chose to exit the trial
which does not align with our key selection criteria for the 4DW were large organizations, each with more than 250 employees.
trial. The decision to cut salaries proportionally was not com- As a result, the analysis presented in this report is based on the
municated during the recruitment and selection phase but was remaining 41 organizations that fully implemented and continued
brought to our attention during the interview process. While data the 4DW.
collection for this organization continued, we decided to exclude
it from further analysis in this report, further reducing the sample In the remaining 41 organizations, 60% implemented the 4DW for
to 43 organizations. all or nearly all of their workforce (i.e., more than 90% of employ-
ees), while 40% applied a reduction only to selected employees
Additionally, two organizations discontinued their participation or specific teams. Additionally, organizations took various ap-
after two months and reverted to a five-day week by May 2024. proaches in dealing with the inclusion of part-time staff in the tri-
One of these organizations chose to exit the pilot due to broader al. Some chose to exclude part-time employees during the pilot
economic challenges unrelated to the 4DW. This organization had period, deferring the decision on how to include them until after
adopted the 4DW for a subset of their employees, while others the study. Others reduced part-time staff hours proportionally to
in the same organization continued working a five-day schedule. the reductions made for full-time employees (e.g., reducing 10%
As economic pressures intensified in 2024, employees working a of working time for both full-time and part-time staff, resulting in
five-day week had to utilize their overtime hours and were on the a part-time schedule of 18 hours instead of 20). A further group of
verge of entering a short-time work phase.1 The imbalance be- organizations opted to increase the salaries of part-time employ-
tween employees piloting the 4DW with full pay and those pre- ees to align with the compensation adjustments for full-time staff
during the trial.

1 Short-time work, called "Kurzarbeit" in German, is a temporary policy that allows

companies to reduce employees’ working hours during economic downturns, with
the government compensating a portion of their lost wages to avoid layoffs.

START MONTH

17
 SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

ORGANIZATION CHARACTERISTICS

18
 SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

3.1.2 EXPECTATIONS & MOTIVATIONS

The decision to implement the 4DW in the remaining 41 organiza- overall efficiency. These organizations see the 4DW not just as a
tions was driven by a range of expectations and strategic goals. way to reduce hours but as a strategic move to improve how work
In the interviews with top management, leaders, and initiators, is done.
many organizations viewed the 4DW as a means to enhance em-
ployer attractiveness (89%), with specific aims of improving em- "The goal is, of course, to gain insights from the
ployee retention, recruitment, job satisfaction, and standing out change, perhaps to somehow increase productivity
from competitors. and gain new understanding”
Leader, Manufacturing & Construction

“I hope we get one or two applications.”

Top Management, Health Care & Social Services "It is really about significantly increasing productivity.”
Top Management, Utilities

“We have to make sure that we become more at-

tractive as an employer.” Other organizations (37%) view their participation in the 4DW pi-
Top Management, Professional & Other Services lot as a progressive step toward aligning with future work trends.
They aspire to be pioneers in adopting new work practices and
“Last year, we were significantly affected by resigna- schedules, seeing their participation as an opportunity to experi-
tions, including long-term colleagues. The issue [is] ment with innovative approaches and prepare their organizations
employer attractiveness—drawing in skilled workers, for the future.
but especially retaining those who have been with us
for a long time. [...] We aim to create a unique selling "But of course, we also want to do justice to our en-
point that not every company currently offers.” trepreneurial path, and for me, the four-day week is
Leader, IT & Telecoms an initial step to try it out, gather experience, and
see what the right work-time model will be for us in
Organizations also aimed to improve employee well-being and the future"
health by fostering a better balance between work and personal Top Management, Professional & Other Services

life, with the added goal of reducing absenteeism. This motivation

was reported by 77% of the organizations who highlighted health, “I just don't think the five-day week is sustainable in
well-being, and work-life balance as key reasons for implementing the future.”
the 4DW. Top Management, Professional & Other Services

"I can definitely imagine that if you only work four

days a week and have three days of rest, it would
have a positive impact on reducing sick leave." ORGANIZATION OBJECTIVES
Top Management, Health Care & Social Services

"They have been getting sick more frequently. I also

believe we can address that with it. Therefore, it’s im-
portant to us that our employees feel comfortable
here and enjoy working here. […] This focus on qual-
ity—both the quality of work and the quality of life
that we can improve through this."
Top Management, Professional & Other Services

The third most frequently cited expectation, mentioned by 57% of

the organizations, was related to productivity. Organizations an-
ticipated that the 4DW will enhance productivity by encouraging
a more focused and efficient work schedule. They believe that by
optimizing workflows and reducing working hours, employees will
be able to concentrate better on their tasks, leading to greater

19
 SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

3.1.3 EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT

Each organization was granted the autonomy to determine its

own approach to implementing the 4DW. Based on survey data,
among these organizations, approximately 70% chose to involve
their employees in the decision-making process to some degree.
In contrast, 11% opted to make this decision exclusively within the
leadership team, suggesting a more centralized approach. The
other organizations did not specify whether they involved their
employees or not.

“Everything, we involved them in everything. As I

said, the entire decision-making process was carried
out together with the employees. [...] Who organiz-
es what? Who gets which days off? How will it be
done?”
Initiator, Health Care & Social Services

“[...] people knew the basics, but they weren't al-

lowed to make the decisions because we made
them for them.”
Top Management, IT & Telecoms

3.2 PARTICIPATING EMPLOYEES

Our sample comprises slightly more women (54%) than men (46%)
and exhibits a fairly normal age distribution, with the median age
ranging between 40 and 44 years. Over 55% of the entire sample
is between 30 and 49 years old. Furthermore, our sample demon-
strates high levels of education, with over 95% of participants
having completed at least a high school degree and more than
40% holding at least a Bachelor’s degree. In line with the diverse
industries represented at the firm level, study participants encom-
pass a wide range of different occupations. While clerical support
workers constitute the largest group, they represent only 20% of
the sample. Conversely, traditional blue-collar occupations (i.e.,
non-office work, such as production or craft) account for over 20%
of the sample.

Approximately 76% of our participants are in a relationship with a

partner, and nearly half of the sample (49%) have children. Among
these parents, over 70% have at least one child who is under 18
years old and lives together with them at home.

20
 SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

PARTICIPANTS CHARACTERISTICS

21
 WORK CHARACTERISTICS

4. WORK CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE 4DW
4.1 WORK TIME

Each organization implemented varying reductions in working to take the day off or sporadically working for half an hour, partic-
hours. Specifically, 46% of organizations reduced their working ipants generally succeeded in substantially reducing their overall
hours by 10% or less. Additionally, 20% of organizations decreased work time.
their hours by 11% to 19%, while 34% opted for a reduction of 20%.
This also implies that 34% of organizations reduced the work “It has worked out relatively well that […] I can take
week by an entire day without any work time compression, while a whole day off.”
the rest involved some redistribution resulting in more hours on Employee, Professional & Other Services

the remaining four days.

“Not regularly, but sometimes it just can’t be helped.
85% of organizations designated a full day off, while 15% of orga- [...] I’ve had days off where I did absolutely nothing,
nizations offer alternative models, such as a day off every two but I’ve had days off where I’ve worked for half an
weeks or allowing employees complete freedom to decide how to hour or an hour.”
distribute their working hours. Further, in approximately 60% of Employee, IT & Telecoms

the organizations, employees do not have the same day off. Con-
versely, 40% of organizations have established a consistent day Crucially, the reduction in normal working hours was not achieved
off for their employees, ensuring that everyone has the same day at the cost of increased overtime hours. On the contrary, monthly
free each week. 51% designated Friday as the fixed day off, 17% overtime hours also decreased significantly.
designated either Friday or Monday, and 32% opted for various
other combinations including free choice or alternating days.
WORKTIME REDUCTION CONT

WORKTIME REDUCTION

Overall, participants significantly reduced their work time, both

in terms of weekly work hours and weekly workdays. However, on
average, the new workweek consists of four and a half days rather
than four days. This finding aligns with qualitative evidence indi-
cating that many participants, particularly in organizations with
flexible arrangements, faced challenges in strictly implementing
one completely free day. While some were able to overcome this
difficulty after a transitional period, others maintained the fifth
day largely free but did not refrain from working occasionally.
Even in these instances, which included occasionally being unable

22
 WORK CHARACTERISTICS

4.2 MEASURES PRIORITIZED BY ORGANIZATIONS

“My conclusion is [...] that this model as such re- “These are little things where you say to yourself, we
ally needs to be guided. [It's] not a new, modern simply have been wasting time [...]. And these are
working time model that you just slap on and such simple process optimizations that we are work-
everyone screams hurray. [...] We need a mindset ing on to really save a lot of time.”
to approach the topic of the 4-day week as a Top Management, Professional & Other Services

cultural change and not just as a working time

model that you click on and say: So, from now on, Likewise, over half of the respondents (52%) adapted their meet-
he's only here for four days.” ing culture by either cutting or shortening meetings to save time.
Initiator & Leader, Professional & Other Services In this context, it is noteworthy that not all measures are suitable
for every job. For instance, traditional meetings play only a minor
In the organizational-level survey, key respondents were asked to role in the daily work of many employees in social work or produc-
rate various measures by their relevance for introducing the re- tion, and these employees have limited control over the organiza-
duction in working hours in their organization. The most highly rat- tion of the remaining, often obligatory meetings.
ed measure was the active involvement of employees, with 90.7%
of respondents finding it either very relevant or relevant. Clear “Yes, well, one meeting actually disappeared; it went
communication of benefits and expectations was also deemed from once a week to once a month, and that's a
important by 87.5% of respondents. Adaptation of work processes good improvement. And two meetings have actually
followed closely, with 84.4% of organizations rating it as very rele- been eliminated.”
vant or relevant, while changing the meeting culture (68.8%) and Employee, Arts, Entertainment, & Media

reduction of distractions (56.3%) were also considered important

measures. However, measures such as introducing new digital “Sitting in a meeting [...] with a topic that I only come
tools/systems (40.6%) and spending less time on non-work-relat- across very, very peripherally afterwards anyway [...]
ed discussions (37.6%) were rated lower in relevance. While mea- is stolen time for me”
sures such as comprehensive training, networking with other orga- Top Management, Professional & Other Services

nizations, and coaching/trainers to accompany the change were

less prioritized, around a third of the organizations still rated them This context dependency partly explains the relatively low share
as very relevant and relevant. of participants utilizing digitalization (25%). However, our quali-
tative analysis also reveals a pattern of missed opportunities and,
at times, frustration with slow change processes regarding digi-
4.3 MEASURES IMPLEMENTED BY EMPLOYEES talization. While both management and employees consistently
emphasized the significant potential of digitalization before the
Most organizations did not implement the 4DW in isolation; rath- trial, some expressed disappointment about the lack of targeted
er, they accompanied it with other measures intended to com- implementation during the trial.
pensate for the lost time and enhance productivity. While the
specific measures varied depending on the context, we identified “And so I'm now slowly trying to digitalize that a bit,
certain patterns during the interviews that were further substan- piece by piece, so that I can work from home.”
tiated by quantitative data. According to this data, most partici- Employee, Utilities

pants reduced distractions (65%) and optimized processes (63%).

“We are still working on making progress in digitiza-
"From that one day that you are missing, you push tion, which may make processes easier. [...] We are
through. [...] you don’t have those little breaks or surf still a long way from the end [...] I think that not much
the internet for fifteen minutes or something like has happened yet, to be honest, because there are
that" absolutely fundamental structures in one place or
Employee, Professional & Other Services another that cannot be changed overnight.”
Employee, Professional & Other Services

23
 WORK CHARACTERISTICS

Finally, 32% of participants reported regularly using focus time.

As a specific measure inherently linked to efforts to reduce dis-
tractions, this practice exemplifies how different measures can
reinforce one another. For instance, one participant in an organi-
zation reported utilizing digitalization through an app that auto-
matically closes all communication programs during focus time to
minimize distractions.

“Focus time ensures that I can concentrate on what

I really want to do. [...] We have programmed a small
tool for this. [...] When the focus time starts, it clos-
es all means of communication [and] virtually elimi-
nates all external things that can get on my nerves.”
Top Management, IT & Telecoms

24
 WORK CHARACTERISTICS

IMPLEMENTED MEASURES BY ORGANIZATIONS

IMPLEMENTED MEASURES BY PARTICIPANTS

25
PERFORMANCE & PRODUCTIVITY

5. PERFORMANCE &
PRODUCTIVITY
We could not utilize organizational-level measures of perfor-
REVENUE DIFFERENCES
mance based on revenue and profit for our entire sample due to
several reasons:

• Publicly listed firms are legally obliged not to share firm-level

performance data before official public reporting.
• The non-profit organizations in our sample do not always
track turnover or revenue; even if they did, these metrics
would not constitute sensible output measures.
• The larger organizations in our sample typically did not im-
plement the 4DW for the entire workforce, but only for se-
lected departments and/or locations. While these cases are
particularly valuable for our research design as they allow for
comparisons with control groups, organizational-level output
measures cannot effectively capture the productivity of only
While revenue and profit are performance indicators, productivity
a small part of the workforce.
is an efficiency measure that compares production input with pro-
duction output. Thus, productivity can be increased by achieving
Nevertheless, we received revenue and profit figures from 12 orga-
the same or even higher output with less input. However, even a
nizations, and our analysis revealed that there were no significant
decrease in output can indicate higher productivity if the input is
changes between the pilot period of 2024 and the same period in
smaller than the corresponding decrease in input. In the context
2023. Hence, we do not find any evidence that the introduction of
of a 4DW, the decisive input factor is work time, which naturally
the 4DW substantially affects revenue and profit.
decreases with the introduction of this model. If revenue and profit
remain stable while working time is reduced, this suggests an im-
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
provement in productivity, as the same financial performance is
achieved with less input (i.e., fewer working hours).

However, it is important to interpret any results based on orga-

nizational metrics cautiously. First, the relation between working
hours and output in terms of financial indicators like revenue is
not the sole measure of productivity. Moreover, the corresponding
output is not as clearly defined, making the measurement of pro-
ductivity particularly challenging. In addition, comparability both
within organizations over time and between different organiza-
tions is challenging due to numerous factors (e.g., broad economic
conditions, differences between industries, and special organiza-
tional characteristics). Further, we only obtained data from a small
number of organizations limiting statistical power of our analysis.

To address these challenges, we also utilize a combination of

self-assessments and external assessments (e.g., assessments of
employees by their leaders) based on quantitative and qualita-
To illustrate the revenue differences between the 4DW trial and
tive data. While self-reported performance measures have limited
the comparison period, we compared the monthly revenue in
reliability due to social desirability bias or overconfidence, the as-
2024 with the corresponding monthly revenue in 2023. Herein,
sessments of supervisors and managers are far less susceptible to
the change in revenue fluctuated substantially, with both increas-
these issues. At this point it should be emphasized that this study
es and decreases. As a result, we cannot draw a definitive conclu-
was not designed to explicitly investigate the effect of the 4DW
sion about the overall impact of the 4DW on organizational reve-
on organizational outcomes such as revenue and profit.
nue.

26
 PERFORMANCE & PRODUCTIVITY

As a self-assessment on organizational level, we asked the top wave 3: 7.08; p=0.874) and the workload (wave 1: 6.97; wave 3:
management of the organizations whether they perceived the in- 7.11; p=0.723) did not change significantly, suggesting that the in-
fluence of the 4DW on productivity and performance as negative crease in the 4DW group is indeed connected to the 4DW instead
(0) or positive (10). The average responses were 6.7 for productivity of other external factors. This finding aligns with our quantitative
and 6.8 for performance, indicating a generally positive percep- results regarding productivity and is also supported by qualita-
tion of the changes and confirming that no negative effects were tive evidence indicating that most employees did not adjust the
observed. amount of work but instead completed the same workload in less
time.1
“I can already say that our sales in March and April
were the same as last year. So right now the numbers “I notice that on Fridays, when I take Monday off
are exactly the same as last year.” and work on Friday, it’s an extremely productive day
Top Management, Professional & Other Services because we don’t have any internal meetings and
so there’s plenty of time for concentrated work. And
On the employee-level, the survey data indicate a significant that’s why I can definitely get the same work done in
increase in self-reported productivity for employees shifting to a a shorter period of time.”
4DW schedule, while the self-assessed productivity of employees Top Management, Arts, Entertainment, & Media

in the control group did not change significantly (wave 1: 7.25;

wave 3: 6.83; p=0.274). Further, we observe a significant differ- “If it took me ten hours to do an accounting job, and
ence in self-reported productivity between the 4DW group and now it only takes seven hours thanks to digitization,
the control group in wave 3 (4DW: 7.69; control: 6.83; p=0.002). then I've already saved three hours per client, right?”
These findings suggest that the increase in employee-level pro- Employee, Professional & Other Services

ductivity is indeed connected to the 4DW trial, which is also sup-

ported by self-assessments and external assessments in qualita- Unfortunately, we received individual-level objective performance
tive reports. data from only two organizations. While no significant differences
in employee performance were observed when comparing the 6
“I actually manage even more than before, because months of the trial to the same period in the previous year, the
[I’m] simply on the road less.” data is insufficient to draw definitive conclusions. As a result, we
Employee, Food have not included this data in the reporting.

“The main added value in the craft [...] is simply the WORK INTENSITY
recruitment of employees. If we attract employees
who deliver even better quality [...] and in less time,
that's great.”
Top Management, Manufacturing & Construction

“People are just somehow, well, how can you put it,
more relaxed [...]? If you ever want something from
them, it’s quicker, it’s not a problem now, otherwise it
was always a huge problem.”
Leader, Manufacturing & Construction

After introducing the 4DW, the pace of work increased signifi-

cantly, while no significant changes in workload were observed. In
contrast, in the control group, both the pace of work (wave 1: 7.03;

PERCEIVED PRODUCTIVITY
1 One potential problem that became evident during the interviews was that
participants were not aware of the technical definition of productivity and
sometimes conflated it with output. Specifically, employees regularly reported
that their productivity did not change because they completed the same amount
of work as before. In these cases, when asked more specifically, they clarified that
they managed to do the same amount of work in less time, which clearly implies an
increase in productivity. This colloquial understanding of productivity might also bias
the self-reported productivity. However, such a bias would not change the general
trend and would even imply that the measured increase in self-reported productivity
is an underestimation.

27
SATISFACTION & EMPLOYER ATTRACTIVENESS

6. SATISFACTION &
EMPLOYER ATTRACTIVENESS
6.1 SATISFACTION

“This is actually a dream come true.” “A four-day week is, of course, more attractive than
Employee, Professional & Other Services working five days a week [...] while also getting the
same pay.”
Employee, Health Care & Social Services
Over 90% of participants reported that the 4DW increased their
overall well-being, with 50% reporting that it contributes ‘Quite a
“So it's very attractive to work only four days and get
lot’ or ‘A lot’.
the same pay. You have to try to offer something to
improve things a little.”
In the same vein, participants experienced a significant increase
Leader, Health Care & Social Services
in overall life satisfaction. A closer look at the different dimen-
sions of life satisfaction reveals that this development is driven
A possible explanation for the insignificant increase in job satis-
by a substantial increase in satisfaction with the amount of time
faction could be that job satisfaction was already relatively high
participants have for things they like. Since the control group did
across all participating organizations. In fact, even before the tri-
not show any significant changes in this measure (wave 1: 5.68;
al, job satisfaction was rated higher (7.24) than the other three
wave 3: 5.82; p=0.742), we do not have any reason to believe this
facets of life satisfaction (5.05 to 7.09), which may have provided
change is driven by external factors, such as seasonal variations.
less room for improvement.
Further, the comparison between 4DW and the control group in
wave 3 also reveals a marginally significant difference (4DW: 6.61;
“The fact that we already had very flexible working
control: 5.82; p=0.057). This intuitive result of a work time reduc-
hours means that it’s actually just another goodie on
tion resulting in higher levels of satisfaction due to an increased
top.”
amount of free time is also evident in common experiences shared
Leader, Professional & Other Services
during the interviews. These experiences refer to general state-

ments regarding available time and quality of life, as well as re-
garding the available time for specific activities, which we discuss
6.2 RECRUITING
in more detail in section 8.

The number of employees within the organizations significant-

“I went in with relatively low expectations, [but] the
ly increased during the pilot period. This upward trend suggests
quality of life that you gain when you have [...] more
that the participating organizations are growing and capable of
time for other things, [...] I think that's just great. I
attracting new employees. While we cannot generally attribute
didn't expect it to be like this, but I take it with me as
this growth to the 4DW, some organizations did in fact hire new
something, yes, quite nice.”
employees specifically to counteract the reduced working hours in
Employee, Professional & Other Services
the existing workforce.

“Regarding my own team members, I can see that

it has been very well received. Employee satisfaction NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
has increased.”
Leader, Professional & Other Services

In contrast to overall satisfaction, we do not find strong quantita-

tive evidence for a positive change in job satisfaction specifically,
since the small increase after introducing the 4DW is statistically
insignificant. This is surprising as the reason for the reported sub-
stantial increase in quality of life ultimately lies in a work-relat-
ed change. Likewise, it is not in line with our qualitative evidence,
where employees consistently stated that the 4DW made their
employer more attractive.

28
 SATISFACTION & EMPLOYER ATTRACTIVENESS

WELL - BEING

SATISFACTION

29
SATISFACTION & EMPLOYER ATTRACTIVENESS

“We increase staffing levels in the areas where we “I wouldn't feel comfortable luring someone to us
need it [...] so new personnel will have to work with us with a four-day week now, when I know at the mo-
during that time.” ment that it's a pilot for six months and I don't know
Top Management, Health Care & Social Services what will happen after that.”
Top Management, Sales

“We have to be available 24/7 or have staff on

standby. Then [...] we increase the number of staff for Occasionally organizations that actively utilize the 4DW in their
that period. If we continued with the current staff, we recruiting efforts expressed disappointment about a lack of pos-
would jeopardize our operating license because we itive results.
have very clear requirements [...] for how many staff
hours I have to deploy.” “We haven't received a single application because
Top Management, Health Care & Social Services of the four-day week [...] As it stands, we have not
achieved the goal of making ourselves more attrac-
Furthermore, multiple organizations reported that their intention tive than the others.”
to use the 4DW as a tool for recruiting new talent (see section Top Management, Health Care & Social Services

3.1.2) already materialized in an increased number of applications

and successful new hires. In the end-term survey, top management reported that the 4DW
positively affected their employer attractiveness, with 50% stat-
“In the last 4 weeks, we have already received 30 ing that it had improved their ability to attract skilled workers and
applications [...] due to the fact that we are al- an additional 19.8% indicating substantial improvement. Notably,
ready advertising the 4-day week in our external no respondents indicated that the 4DW had worsened their em-
communications.” ployer attractiveness. Additionally, when asked to rate their or-
Employee, Professional & Other Services ganization’s ability to attract new employees, the average score
was 6.8, reflecting a generally positive perception of recruitment
“I definitely noticed that the four-day [week] was an capabilities by the end of the trial.
incentive when we advertised jobs. That it was met
with nothing but positive approval and that many
people simply saw it as a benefit in their application 6.3 RETENTION
[...] We are still receiving applications for positions
that have expired. More than I noticed before.” The analysis of organizational data reveals that employee turn-
Top Management, Professional & Other Services over rates have not significantly changed as a result of the 4DW
trial. Although there is a slight decrease of resignations per em-
“We see our colleagues' posters are still up every- ployee, it is not statistically significant. These findings indicate a
where [...] we're looking for apprentices [...] and we stable workforce with no notable trends towards increased or de-
keep getting requests, can't we basically start ap- creased resignations linked to the 4DW trial.
prenticeships with you, dual studies apparently we're
perceived as attractive again. So we no longer have Likewise, we found no significant change in turnover intention
the problem of a lack of young talent. And since the on the employee-level. However, this lack of change can be ex-
signs of the others are still up, I assume [...] they don't plained by the fact that turnover intentions were already low be-
have received anything." fore the trial and remained low throughout. Specifically, over 70%
Top Management, Professional & Other Services of participants disagreed or strongly disagreed with seriously con-
sidering quitting their current job at both time points. This notion
However, it is worth pointing out that, while this direct positive is further supported by our qualitative insights, where virtually no
effect on recruiting is a common theme, it is by no means a uni- respondents expressed any serious turnover intentions.
versal experience within our sample. Many organizations did not
utilize the 4DW at all in their recruiting efforts, some because they In the end-term survey, top management reported that the 4DW
did not openly communicate their participation in the trial at all, in terms of retaining current staff, 53.1% of top managers indicat-
others because they did not want to utilize the 4DW in job adver- ed that the 4DW had improved retention, while 31.3% reported
tisements as long as it is only a trial phase. that it had substantially improved retention. Again, no respon-
dents indicated that the 4DW had a negative impact on retaining
existing employees. This discrepancy between objective measures

30
 SATISFACTION & EMPLOYER ATTRACTIVENESS

and employee perceptions on the one hand and management

perceptions on the other hand might indicate that managers
overestimate the positive effect of the 4DW implementation.

RETENTION

31
 HEALTH

7. HEALTH
In the survey, participants were first asked to rate their mental 7.1 STRESS
and physical health over the past four weeks. The results show a
significant increase in both perceived mental and physical health In the survey, participants reported a significant reduction in
when comparing the period before and during the 4DW. The con- work-related stress following the implementation of the 4DW,
trol group showed no significant change in either mental health whereas we do not observe any significant change in the con-
(wave 1: 2.91; wave 3: 3.00; p=0.521) or physical health (wave 1: trol group (wave 1: 3.22; wave 3: 3.08; p=0.377). This suggests that
2.77; wave 3: 2.91; p=0.361) implying that the changes in the 4DW shorter working hours contribute to lowering perceived stress lev-
group are not driven by seasonal changes, such as the weather. els. Interestingly, this finding contrasts with the expectation that
Improvements in mental and physical well-being are commonly having the same workload to complete in less time might lead to
attributed to reduced stress levels, improved physical activities, an increased subjective perception of stress. As outlined in previ-
and regeneration through stable sleeping behaviors. ous sections, while the pace of work does appear to increase, this
does not correspond to higher stress levels. Instead, a marked re-
To objectively assess these perceptions, we equipped participants duction in stress is observed. This decrease can likely be attributed
with Garmin® smartwatches to track stress levels, physical activ- to changes in work practices introduced alongside the 4DW, such
ity, and sleep behavior. This provided additional data to comple- as minimizing distractions, restructuring meeting schedules, and
ment the subjective assessments of the 4DW’s impact on employ- increasing focus time. These adjustments not only seem to en-
ee health through physiological data. For clarity in the graphical hance productivity but also tend to alleviate stress by optimizing
illustrations, the respective data source is indicated with icons working methods.
representing either a smartwatch or a survey.
“No, the expectation was [...] that it would be more
The data generated by the smartwatches relate to one day per stressful [...]. But now I don’t have the impression
participant. For instance, if a participant wore the smartwatch for that it is more stressful, [...] because of the mea-
90 days after the introduction of the 4DW, the dataset for that sures with the headphones [...] that make it easier to
individual would contain 90 data points regarding stress levels, concentrate.”
activity levels, and sleep behavior. After cleaning the dataset to Employee, Retail
remove erroneous or incomplete data, the analysis is based on
a total of 15,110 observation days during which stress levels and
WORK STRESS
physical activity were recorded (4DW: 12,861 observation days;
control: 2,249). The data for analyzing sleep behavior are based
on a total of 13,969 observation days (4DW: 11,825; control: 2,144).
Differences in the number of observation days arise from instances
where the smartwatches were not worn consistently, particularly
at night, or when the devices’ batteries were depleted.

HEALTH

Objective stress levels were measured using data collected from

the smartwatches, which recorded the number of minutes per
day participants experienced high stress. This was determined
through heart rate variability, a measure regulated by the auto-
nomic nervous system. The smartwatch, using an algorithm de-
veloped by Firstbeat Analytics, analyzes the intervals between
heartbeats. Lower variability in these intervals indicates higher
stress levels, while greater variability reflects lower stress. Notably,
the stress measurements exclude periods of physical activity, as
the smartwatch can distinguish between routine daily activities

32
 HEALTH

and physical exertion. Moreover, the reported stress minutes are “Well, I personally feel a bit more stressed. But that
specifically related to periods of heightened stress, which are par- has nothing to do with work per se, but with my pri-
ticularly relevant to participant health. vate life or my hobbies. But in terms of work, I don’t
feel more stressed now, no. [...] I’m a soccer coach.
“I have problems with migraines and headaches Preparing for the next season.”
when I am too stressed out and that can be avoided Employee, Professional & Other Services

quite well with the four-day week, of course.”

Leader, Retail “Over the week as a whole, I no longer feel stressed
at all, because Friday is what makes a big difference.
Initially, daily stress minutes were compared between the 4DW [...] I don't feel more stressed than I did before the
group and the control group. Results show that participants in the project, rather more relaxed. Because now I know
4DW group experienced significantly lower stress levels, averag- that my four days are fuller and have fewer gaps and
ing 177.89 stress minutes per day, compared to 190.57 stress min- are sometimes more demanding, but the week is al-
utes in the control group. most over and a long weekend is coming and I feel
rather satisfied.”
Employee, Health Care & Social Services
STRESS MINUTES
These results demonstrate that subjective perceptions of stress
are corroborated by objective physiological data from the smart-
watches. Data based on both participant self-reports and heart
rate variability imply a significant reduction in stress due to the
4DW.

7.2 SPORT

To assess sporting activities in the surveys, participants were

Subsequently, stress levels were analyzed across weekdays for asked how frequently they exercised throughout the week. The
both groups. No clear trend was observed on Mondays and Tues- proportion of participants who did not engage in any exercise de-
days. Visual inspection of the graph suggests elevated stress lev- creased, while those who were already active increased their ex-
els in the control group on Wednesdays and Thursdays; however, ercise frequency during the 4DW. This increase is statistically sig-
these differences are not statistically significant. On Fridays, the nificant when comparing the mean values (0.92 before the 4DW;
analysis revealed a significant reduction in stress minutes for par- 1.09 during the 4DW; p<0.001).
ticipants in the 4DW group compared to the control group. This
result aligns with the fact that many organizations adopting the Additionally, activity levels were objectively measured by tracking
4DW designate Friday as a day off. participants’ daily step counts. The smartwatch’s accelerometer
records repeated arm movements, with each full arm movement
“I have significantly less stress because I can simply counted as two steps. The 4DW group took significantly more
use Friday to relax more.” steps than the control group, averaging 8,862 steps per day, com-
Employee, Food pared to 8,598 steps in the control group.

The most pronounced differences occurred on Saturdays and Daily step counts were further analyzed across weekdays for both
Sundays, indicating that the 4DW may not only reduce stress on groups. From Monday to Thursday, no significant differences in
Fridays but also extend its effects into the weekend. Herein, both step counts were observed between groups. However, from Fri-
groups show elevated stress levels on Saturdays. This may be at- day onward, significant differences emerged, with participants in
tributed to eventful activities. Overall, participants in the 4DW the 4DW group walking an average of 2,596 more steps between
group experienced an average of 89 fewer high-stress minutes Friday and Sunday compared to those in the control group. Sim-
per week compared to the control group. ilar to the findings on stress levels, the 4DW appears to increase
physical activity toward the end of the workweek and extending
into the weekend.

33
 HEALTH

Similar patterns were observed for physical activities tracked elevated intensity minutes particularly on Sundays. Overall, both
by the smartwatch, measured in terms of intensity minutes. Ac- the subjective evaluation of exercise frequency and the objec-
cording to Garmin®, intensity minutes are calculated based on tive data indicating increased steps and intensity minutes sug-
the current heart rate relative to the individual’s average resting gest that the 4DW promotes a healthier lifestyle characterized by
heart rate. To focus on actual physical activity rather than every- greater physical activity.
day movements, light intensity minutes are excluded, ensuring
that only moderate and high-intensity minutes are considered. “The advantage for me is that I can spend my free
The comparison between the groups revealed a significant differ- time engaging in sports activities [...]. Thus, my work-
ence: participants in the 4DW group engaged in physical activity life balance has significantly improved.”
for an average of 35.72 minutes per day, while the control group Employee, Manufacturing & Construction

averaged 32.32 minutes.

“I had more time to ride my bike.”
Leader, Professional & Other Services

ACTIVITY
“I was much more in nature. So [...] we went swim-
ming and stuff. And I've already tried to do that a
lot more than [...] before, to take the time for it, [...]
for sports [...]. So I would say, just a bit more focus on
leisure time all around than I had before. [...] But not
in the sense that I've taken up a particular hobby or
anything like that. I've just tried to make a bit more
time for things like that.”
Leader, Professional & Other Services

“I'm doing a lot more sport, which is something you

should actually do from a certain age to simply stay
healthy and keep fit for a long time. And that’s doing
me good, yes.
Employee, Professional & Other Services

7.3 SLEEP

Intensity minutes were also compared across weekdays. Notably, In the survey, participants were asked to estimate their daily sleep
there were no significant differences between the groups from duration. Here, we did not find a significant difference before and
Monday to Wednesday. Although participants exhibited slightly during the 4DW.
higher levels of physical activity on Mondays and Tuesdays, these
differences were not statistically significant. Additionally, nearly However, when comparing the data from the smartwatches, sig-
identical levels of physical activity were observed on Wednesdays nificant differences between the 4DW and the control group were
and Saturdays. However, participants in the 4DW group displayed noted. Participants in the 4DW slept, on average, approximately
increased intensity minutes, particularly on Thursday and Sunday. 38 minutes longer per week than those in the control group. The
Over the entire week, participants in the 4DW group were, on av- differences in sleep duration were significant both in total week-
erage, physically active for 24.45 minutes longer than those in the ly sleep time and in daily sleep duration during the nights from
control group. Thursday to Friday (+10 minutes), from Saturday to Sunday (+13
minutes), and from Sunday to Monday (+12 minutes). The longer
These results suggest that the introduction of the 4DW leads to an sleep duration from Thursday to Friday may be attributed to the
increase in daily activity levels, as evidenced by both step counts fact that many participants had Fridays off.
and physical exercise. The differences, which become more ap-
parent from midweek onward, indicate that individuals with re-
duced working hours likely have more time and energy for physi-
cal activity. In contrast to the trends observed in stress levels, this
higher activity level only partially extends into the weekend, with

34
 HEALTH

STRESS

STEPS

35
 HEALTH

SPORT

SPORT

36
 HEALTH

“For example, the change from Sunday to Monday

SICK DAYS
was always tiring. I didn’t sleep well, not because
I don’t actually like going to work, but the change
was always mentally exhausting for me. And that’s
no longer the case [...]. And then getting up is easier.”
Leader, Retail

The discrepancy between participants’ self-reported sleep du-

ration and the data captured by the smartwatch highlights the
challenges of accurately self-assessing sleep. While participants
did not report significant differences in their estimated sleep be-
tween the pre-pilot and end-pilot, the smartwatch arguably pro-
vides a more detailed and objective measurement of sleep be-
havior. The tracker’s ability to capture specific data on total sleep In the same vein, we did not observe any significant change in the
duration, offers a more precise and comprehensive assessment number of sick days taken per employee compared to the previous
than subjective estimations, which may be influenced by percep- year. Although the monthly average indicates a slight decrease in
tion rather than actual sleep patterns. the mean, this finding should be interpreted with caution. The de-
crease is insignificant due to the limited number of organizations
that reported this data, and those that did may employ different
SLEEP
methods for calculating sick days.

Overall, we do not find definitive evidence for a decrease in sick

days based on our survey and organizational data. However,
both the qualitative evidence and the physiological data regard-
ing stress and sport clearly suggest positive effects on employee
health that might result in reduced absenteeism in the long term.

“I was sick last week, but I think that was the first sick
day I’ve had for work this year, which is pretty cool for
me, because I noticed that my immune system has
suffered quite a bit [and] that it’s doing me a lot of
good to take time off, even on my day off [...] and you
7.4 SICK DAYS just have a day of recovery.”
Top Management, Arts, Entertainment, & Media

Participants reported that they were less frequently absent from

work due to health-related reasons. A comparison of mean val-
ues revealed that this change is statistically significant (1,52 be-
fore 4DW; 0.38 during 4DW; p<0.001). In particular, we can see
that more employees did not report any sick days at all in the
month prior to the survey. However, this change might primarily
occur due to seasonal reasons, since we also observe a significant,
albeit smaller decrease in the control group (wave 1: 1,49; wave 3:
0.43; p<0.001). Consequently, the comparison between the two
groups in wave 3 reveals a slight tendency of less absence in the
4DW group, whereas this difference is not significant (4DW: 0.38;
control: 0.43; p=0.752).

37
 HEALTH

SLEEP

SICK DAYS

38
 TIME USE & SOCIAL IMPACT

8. TIME USE & SOCIAL

IMPACT
We also inquired about how participants spent their free time. dents explicitly attributed various positive outcomes, such as re-
There is no right or wrong way to utilize free time, as this decision duced stress and improved health, to their increased participation
is inherently personal and depends on individual circumstances. in sports activities.
However, the manner in which individuals choose to spend their
time is an interesting outcome of the 4DW that could influence Finally, the percentage of participants expressing a desire to
personal effects, such as stress and health (see section 7), as well spend more time with social contacts, such as friends, decreased
as the broader social impact. from 70% before the trial to 62% after the introduction of the
4DW. This decline is further supported by corresponding remarks
in the qualitative data. Interestingly, the elaborations on hobbies
8.1 PERSONAL TIME and social contacts reveal a narrative of reclaiming aspects of life
that have been diminished in the daily routine of a five-day work-
Participants spent significantly more time with self-care (e.g., re- week.
laxation), hobbies, and social contacts outside their own house-
hold (e.g., friends). The percentage of participants expressing a “I meet up with friends for a coffee, which I never do
desire to spend more time on self-care decreased from 71% before otherwise [...] there’s so much space, yes, and a dif-
the trial to 58% after the introduction of the 4DW. This finding ferent sense of time.”
aligns with our qualitative insights, where participants frequent- Leader, Professional & Other Services

ly reported engaging in activities described as “doing something

good for myself” during their free time. While the specific forms “I have more time during the week for my friends.”
of self-care varied, including activities such as napping or simply Employee, Professional & Other Services

relaxing, they were consistently perceived as essential strategies

for stress reduction and viewed as a “luxury”. PERSONAL TIME USE

“I know I can take care of things calmly on Friday

and still have time for myself. It’s like taking a deep
breath, it’s amazing. So really giving myself space to
just come down and do something good for myself.”
Employee, Manufacturing & Construction

“I think it’s great to have Friday off. It’s totally cool.

Really. I love it. It's totally worth it to me not to have
as much flexibility from Monday to Thursday. Be-
cause on Friday the weather is great here, everyone
is at work and I drive to the canal at eleven o'clock
and lie down in the sun. Totally awesome.”
Leader, Professional & Other Services

Similarly, the percentage of participants expressing a desire to

spend more time on hobbies decreased from 82% before the trial
to 63% after the introduction of the 4DW. This decline is also re-
8.2 SOCIAL & CARE WORK
flected in our qualitative data, which indicates an increased en-
gagement in hobbies. These hobbies encompass a wide range of
Similarly, in the realm of social and care work, participants were
activities, including reading, baking, sewing, and working on per-
able to adjust their time allocation to better align with their in-
sonal projects, such as van expansions. Notably, sports emerged
dividual needs. This part of the study examined the time spent
as the most significant category of hobbies, aligning with our
with family, care work for children and disabled family members,
insights drawn from physiological data (see section 7.2). Respon-
household tasks, and volunteer activities.

39
 TIME USE & SOCIAL IMPACT

Participants significantly increased the time they spent with their The picture becomes more nuanced when looking at household
families. Prior to the study, around 64% of respondents expressed tasks. Before the introduction of the 4DW, 41% of participants re-
a desire to spend more time with their families. After the introduc- ported wanting to spend more time on household work. After the
tion of the 4DW, this figure had dropped by 15 percentage points, introduction, this number had significantly decreased to just 14%.
with 50% of participants indicating they were now satisfied with Concurrently, the proportion of participants expressing a desire to
the amount of family time. These results are further substantiated spend less time on household tasks rose from 12% to 32%. Further,
by the qualitative data from interviews, where participants fre- 47% of participants before the study and 54% during the 4DW
quently mentioned that they were now able to spend more time indicated that they were content with the time they were already
with their families. spending on household chores and did not wish to change it.

“I had more [...] time with my already quite grown-up “[...] that you don't put yourself under this kind of
children. [...] it really makes a difference to suddenly stress; that you have to get all the housework done
be there somehow on Fridays too [...]. And to be able in those two weekend days.”
to do things too. [...] I also went swimming with my Leader, Retail

daughter once on a Friday afternoon.”

Employee, Professional & Other Services “That’s why Friday is also great because sometimes I
just have a cleaning party.”
A similar trend was observed in the areas of childcare and caregiv- Leader, Professional & Other Services

ing for disabled family members. The percentage of participants

who wanted to dedicate more time to childcare or care for dis- In the case of volunteer work, only slight shifts were noted towards
abled individuals decreased during the study. Focusing specifical- personal preferences. The percentage of participants who want-
ly on childcare, the proportion of participants who desired more ed to spend more time on volunteering decreased modestly from
time for this task saw a significant reduction from 61% to 39%, 41% to 36%. However, the results only indicate a tendency, with
marking a one-third decline. no statistically significant changes before and after introducing
the 4DW.
“Yes, definitely. I notice that I have more time, I’m
a bit calmer and I’m enjoying these [...] days off [...].
And this conflict between family, children and career SOCIAL & CARE WORK
is no longer as great.”
Employee, Professional & Other Services

When it came to caregiving for disabled family members, the fig-

ure halved from 50% to 25%. Due to the relatively small number
of responses in this category, however, this reduction could only
be interpreted as a trend, and no statistical significance could be
determined.

“We’re currently experiencing this in our family,

where parents may sometimes need help [...] and
just spending an extra hour or two with them. There’s
nothing in the world that can compare with that.”
Employee, Food

“My hopes have been fulfilled in that I can now bet-

ter organize my free time at the weekend and have
a little more time for private activities. [I] take care of
my mother a little. I can do that on Fridays now [...]
or I would drive up there on Mondays, but then I was
still able to spend the weekend with my husband.”
Employee, Professional & Other Services

40
 TIME USE & SOCIAL IMPACT

8.3 CARBON FOOTPRINT

Previous international studies have reported that employees and “Traveling in particular is always the ultra-intense
organizations participating in a 4DW significantly reduced their focus for me.”
environmental impact following its implementation. The main Top Management, Health Care & Social Services

proposed explanations for this finding include decreased com-

muting and reduced electricity consumption in the workplace due Overall, our findings reveal no evidence of a reduction in self-re-
to the additional day off. ported carbon footprints, as the minimal decrease in mean values
is not statistically significant.
However, in our sample, we did not observe any decrease in com-
muting time. Furthermore, we have no reason to believe that ac- “[...] other factors I actually find a bit ridiculous, such
tivities undertaken on the additional day off are particularly envi- as saving CO2. It’s just greenwashing at its finest.
ronmentally friendly compared to a regular office day. While some We’re not doing it to save CO2, that’s for sure.”
activities reported during the interviews, such as sports, might be Employee, Professional & Other Services

environmentally neutral, others, such as motorcycling or traveling,

could even lead to increased individual CO2 emissions. Notably, At the organizational level, we measured electricity consumption
our survey data indicates a substantial and significant increase in and observed a slight increase; however, this change is not sta-
domestic trips, which some participants explicitly highlighted as a tistically significant. This analysis is based on only three observa-
key advantage of the 4DW during our interviews. tions, as many organizations either do not monitor their electricity
usage or did not report it to us. Consequently, the interpretive val-
“I actually spent a lot of time with my family [that] ue of these findings is limited due to the small sample size and the
lives [in another town], which is a bit of a distance. lack of comprehensive data across organizations.
And I’ve actually been able to see them very often
[...], because two days for a weekend is usually not
that worthwhile, unfortunately. And if you have three
days, that was a good enough reason to say, okay, I’ll
go over to my family’s now.”
Leader, Retail

CARBON FOOTPRINT

41
 EVALUATION & OUTLOOK

9. EVALUATION &
OUTLOOK BY PARTICIPANTS
9.1. EVALUATION & OUTLOOK BY
ORGANIZATIONS & MANAGEMENT

Of the 41 organizations, 39% have introduced a 4DW after their Conversely, 20% of organizations have opted not to further pur-
trial. Among these, the majority reported that they adopted the sue a 4DW. Half of these indicated that they do not plan to keep
model exactly as proposed, while the other organizations have it currently but may consider it in the future, while the other half
made slight adjustments to better suit their operational needs decided against it. The organizations that chose not to contin-
and workforce dynamics. ue the 4DW cited a range of challenges and concerns. Several
organizations reported that the condensed schedule resulted
“It will definitely be introduced and will run forever in excessive workload during the four working days, increasing
with the caveat that if it doesn’t work at all, we can employee stress. One organization noted that the trial was al-
also undo it. And so far there has been no signal from ways only intended for a limited period and that they must wait
anywhere that we now want to undo it, even when for collective bargaining decisions before making any long-term
things got difficult at times.” changes. Another organization observed that the model demo-
Top Management, Arts, Entertainment, & Media tivated employees who struggled with self-organization, leading
to limited availability for clients and a lack of flexibility for both
Additionally, 34% of organizations have chosen to extend their the organization and its customers. Increased organizational de-
pilot programs. Many of these organizations found that a six- mands and administrative complexity were also highlighted as
month trial period was insufficient to reach a definitive conclusion substantial barriers. In terms of costs, one organization explained
about the viability of the 4DW. As a result, they deemed it neces- that they did not observe a large enough productivity boost to
sary to prolong the pilot to gather more data, assess employee justify the higher hourly wages, making the model financially un-
feedback, and evaluate the overall impact on business operations sustainable. Similarly, several organizations expressed concerns
before making a final decision. Some organizations have opted to about reduced flexibility in response to unpredictable events, such
continue with their initial implementation of the 4DW, while oth- as equipment breakdowns or delayed supplier deliveries. This re-
ers have made further adjustments to their models based on the duced adaptability was especially problematic in production ar-
insights gained during the trial period. eas, where they also noted a rise in sick days. Furthermore, some
organizations found that the 4DW resulted in less staff availabil-
“It makes no sense to make a decision now, so let’s ity, equivalent costs, and increased coordination needs. Finally, a
extend it.” few organizations mentioned that the shorter workweek led to
Initiator, Professional & Other Services unfinished tasks and longer project timelines due to the reduced
total working hours each week.
“I think you only really notice the right effects after
two to three years. On the one hand, when things Interestingly, when comparing organizations that attended one
have settled in a little better. On the other hand, or more of the digital workshops and networking sessions orga-
when we attract employees who deliver even better nized by Intreprenör and 4 Day Week Global, a distinction emerg-
quality [...] and also in less time.” es. Organizations that indicated they would continue with the
Top Management, Manufacturing & Construction 4DW attended an average of 4.7 workshops and 0.96 networking
sessions. In contrast, organizations that mentioned they would
Moreover, 7% of organizations are currently undecided regarding discontinue the 4DW after the pilot only attended an average of
the implementation of a 4DW. The organizations may still be in 1.37 workshops and 0.25 networking sessions, either in preparation
the pilot phase or in the progress of evaluating their options to for or during the trial.
determine the most effective course of action.
Overall, the majority of organizations have either directly imple-
“No, [...] we need to have a final discussion." mented the 4DW or are still deliberating their options. This aligns
Initiator, Health Care & Social Services with their positive assessment of the 4DW’s overall effect on the
organization, which key respondents on average answered with

42
 EVALUATION & OUTLOOK

7.33 on a scale from one (very negative) to ten (very positive). Both
findings provide a promising indication of the potential success
and acceptance of the trial as a whole.

9.2 EVALUATION & OUTLOOK BY EMPLOYEES

“I don’t want to do without it anymore. We’re work-

ing [temporary] a five-day week again, but I'd like to
go back to the four-day week.”
Employee, Manufacturing & Construction

Overall, the evaluation of participating employees was highly

positive, with 83% expressing a desire to continue working under
a 4DW schedule. When asked about the monetary value of the
4DW, 60% indicated they would require at least a 20% pay raise
to consider accepting an alternative job that follows a traditional
five-day week.

“Definitely continue. We have to establish it. We re-

ally must establish it. Because I think it's good on so
many levels.”
Employee, IT & Telecoms

This finding suggests that employees perceive the benefits of a

4DW—such as improved work-life balance, reduced stress, and
increased personal time—as significant enough to outweigh the
financial implications of potentially lower pay. Since the average
reduction in work hours within our sample was significantly less
than 20%, this finding implies that the work time reduction as-
sociated with a 4DW is considered more attractive than a corre-
sponding pay increase in a five-day week.

In essence, employees value the extra time afforded by the 4DW

highly, indicating that they might prioritize non-monetary bene-
fits related to their well-being over financial compensation. This
could reflect a broader trend where workers increasingly seek
meaningful work experiences and improved quality of life rather
than simply higher salaries. Thus, the findings underscore the po-
tential appeal of the 4DW model as a strategy for organizations
aiming to attract and retain talent in a competitive job market.

43
 EVALUATION & OUTLOOK

OUTLOOK

44
 CONCLUSION

10. CONCLUSION

10.1 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 10.2 CONCLUDING REMARKS & ASSESSING THE WAY
FORWARD FOR THE 4DW IN GERMANY
This study provides several new and valuable insights into the im-
plementation and effects of the 4DW at both the employee and The findings from the six-month German 4DW trial offer valu-
organizational levels. However, certain factors should be consid- able insights into the potential of this model to reshape work in
ered when interpreting the results. a manner that benefits both employees and organizations. Like
the international studies in the UK, New Zealand, and Iceland, the
First, the study includes a relatively small number of organizations. German pilot demonstrated that reducing working hours can lead
Therefore, the findings, particularly those related to revenue and to significant improvements in employee well-being without com-
profit development, should be interpreted with caution. The data promising productivity. The trial revealed positive effects on men-
does not allow for definitive conclusions about the impact of the tal health, work-life balance, and overall life satisfaction, driven
4DW on organizational performance, as external factors—such as by the additional personal time gained from a shorter workweek.
market conditions, competitive pressures, and the broader eco- Notably, 73% of organizations indicated they would continue or
nomic environment—play a significant role. Another key consid- expand the 4DW after the trial, suggesting that the model holds
eration is the time frame of data collection and analysis. For the potential for the majority of organizations. The diversity in the de-
majority of participating organizations (78%), the trial began be- gree of work time reduction and the types of models implemented
tween January and March. At this stage, seasonal effects, such as by German organizations highlights that a one-size-fits-all ap-
the increased workload often experienced in the fourth quarter, proach is not feasible. Instead, organizations need to adapt their
may not be fully accounted for in the analysis. work time reduction strategies to fit the specific needs of their
Additionally, the effects of the 4DW on organizations and employ- industry or organizational context. This flexibility allows organi-
ees vary according to internal characteristics. While the heteroge- zations to tailor the 4DW model, ensuring that it aligns with their
neous sample, comprising organizations of various sizes and from operational demands while still delivering benefits to both em-
different industries, is a strength of the study, it complicates the ployees and the business.
task of drawing specific conclusions about which organizational
size or industry is suited for the 4DW. The same holds true at the From the employee perspective, the trial reinforced findings from
individual level. Interviews revealed that perceptions of the 4DW other international studies that shorter workweeks lead to im-
differ widely based on personality, leading to varying impacts on proved physical health and mental well-being. The improvements
individual well-being. Thus, a continued objective of the study is captured by physiological data collected via smartwatches are
to examine these aspects more closely in the next phase. particularly notable. Participants with a 4DW show higher levels
of physical activity, lower stress levels, and sleep longer than their
Finally, the relatively short duration of the study limits the ability to counterparts in the control group. These physiological measures
draw conclusions about long-term effects. As the 4DW represents align with self-reported measures and qualitative data indicating
a fundamental change in working practices, long-term studies that participants’ overall well-being and quality of life improved
are necessary to understand how this shift impacts organizational substantially. Thanks to our comprehensive qualitative data col-
culture, individual behaviors, and performance over several years. lection in combination with objective and subjective measures,
Therefore the future goal is to continue supporting organizations we can connect these improvements to recreational and social
that choose to maintain the 4DW model, in order to gather data activities made possible by the 4DW. In particular, participants
on long-term effects for both organizations and employees. This had more time for their family, their friends, physical activity, and
will help determine whether the initial benefits in well-being and self-care, which directly and substantially improved their quality
productivity can be sustained or whether new challenges arise. of life.
Hence, our aim is to address these limitations by continuing to col-
lect data from organizations maintaining the 4DW, thereby en- We also observed an impact of the 4DW on employer attractive-
hancing the robustness and relevance of the results in the future. ness. A key motivation for many organizations was to improve
their attractiveness to skilled workers, particularly in light of the la-
bor shortages facing Germany. Indeed, employee satisfaction in-
creased and organizations reported improvements in recruitment
and retention rates, echoing results from other international 4DW

45
 CONCLUSION

trials. However, we find only little evidence for increased job satis- plan to explore the differences between various 4DW models and
faction and decreased turnover intention reported by employees. their viability across different industries within organizations that
Likewise, we do not find solid evidence for improved turnover rates have already implemented the 4DW in Germany. These ongoing
as measured by objective metrics. research efforts will help refine the 4DW model, offering more tai-
lored solutions and insights into its potential scalability across dif-
Moreover, we also examined potential changes in productivity. On ferent organizational contexts.
the individual level, we find a significant increase in self-report-
ed productivity. This notion is further supported by reports that Acknowledgements
employees managed the same amount of work in less time and From the University of Münster, we are deeply grateful to all the
detailed qualitative evidence explaining how they achieved this organizations and individuals who contributed to the project,
increase. While self-reported productivity measures have to be in- willingly sharing their knowledge, expertise, and experiences, all
terpreted with caution, these findings are also reinforced based while implementing a major change. Without the support of the
on assessments of employee productivity by leaders and top man- organizations, the research project would not have been possi-
agement. Although organizational-level data did not show a sig- ble. We would also like to thank Dr. Manfred Fobker and his team
nificant change in revenue or profit during the trial, the fact that at the University Hospital Münster for conducting the hair sample
these metrics remained stable while work hours were significant- analyses and hence making it possible to analyze more objective
ly reduced suggests that at least some productivity gains have health data. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to
been realized. However, this should be interpreted with caution Talea Stolte, a student research assistant at the Chair for Trans-
due to small sample sizes and substantial fluctuations. Hence, formation of Work, who contributed greatly to several steps of the
these findings highlight the need for more research, particularly research process and was of immense help throughout. Further-
concerning the long-term impacts of 4DW. more, we would like to express our gratitude to the 14 master stu-
dents who have greatly contributed to the qualitative data col-
The German trial also highlighted several challenges. In partic- lection process for this project. Your dedication and support during
ular, two large organizations dropped out during the trial citing the project have been invaluable. Hence, kudos to: Berit Sieck-
(external) economic reasons. Likewise, with 20%, a relatively large mann, Bettina Beffar, Gun Hi Lee, Jan Ole Krieg, Jan Wagemann,
portion of organizations decided to change back to a five-day Katharina Wolf, Luisa Püllen, Natalie Kosobudzki, Niklas Koenen,
schedule – at least for the time being. Although this number is still Niklas Kotte, Paulina Berthold, Till Coenen, Timon Honsel, and Ve-
clearly trumped by the vast majority of organizations that con- ronika Boppre.
tinue the 4DW trial, it is considerably larger than in previous in-
ternational studies, where almost all participating organizations From Intraprenör, we would like to thank the campaign project
kept the 4DW beyond the trial. Overall, the share of organizations team consisting of Nathalie Starke, Joseph Coenen, Stefanie
and top managers meeting the concept of a 4DW with a certain Ballof and Franziska Reinecke, supporting us around messaging,
degree of skepticism or treating the trial as an initial test of fea- design and communications.
sibility rather than a first step towards the introduction of a 4DW
seems relatively high in the German sample. Nevertheless, the top
management of organizations in our sample reported a favorable
assessment of the trial and positive overall effects of the 4DW for
their organization.

In conclusion, while the German pilot adds to the growing body

of evidence supporting the 4DW, the initial insights are promising.
However, further research and trials—particularly in sectors where
implementation may be more challenging, and in larger organi-
zations that were underrepresented in this and other trials—are
necessary. It is important to note that these are the first analyses
and results of the 4DW pilot in Germany, and ongoing research
will continue to observe potential long-term effects. In the coming
months, the collected data will undergo further in-depth analy-
sis. The results from the cortisol analyses, still pending from the
end-term data collection, will be integrated alongside deeper in-
sights from the extensive qualitative interviews and physiological
health data gathered through the smartwatches. Additionally, we

46
 A MESSAGE FROM 4 DAY WEEK GLOBAL

A Message from 4 Day Week Global

The findings of this report mark a significant milestone not only

for the four-day workweek movement but for the future of work
across Europe. The success of this pilot in Germany is particular-
ly notable because of the country’s reputation as an economic
powerhouse, known for its efficiency, productivity, and industrial
leadership. Germany has always set a high bar for innovation and
quality, and the fact that the four-day workweek has proven suc-
cessful here is a powerful signal to the rest of Europe—and the
world—that change is possible.

By demonstrating that reduced working hours can enhance pro-

ductivity and well-being without compromising economic perfor-
mance, this German pilot serves as a gateway to Europe, paving
the way for other nations to follow suit. With eight European part-
ners already on their own journeys, from France to Norway and
beyond, the momentum is building, and it’s clear that this is the
beginning of a new era in how we approach work.

I want to extend our deepest gratitude to Jan, Carsten, and the

research team at the University of Münster, comprising Profes-
sor Dr. Julia Backmann, Dr. Felix Hoch, Johannes Hüby, Marika
Platz, and Dr. Matthias Sinnemann. We value your commitment
and leadership in making this pilot a success. You have laid the
groundwork for a movement that will transform not just Germany
but all of Europe. At 4 Day Week Global, we are excited to contin-
ue supporting this journey and watching as more countries take
up the call to create a healthier, more sustainable way of working.

All the best,

Dale Whelehan, CEO 4 Day Week Global

47
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49