Could a shorter working week be beneficial, not just to the wellbeing and overall happiness of employees, but also to productivity?

The shift towards a four day working week is becoming increasingly popular, with the trend being tested by prominent corporates such as Microsoft, and implemented on an optional basis by Panasonic in Japan. 

During August 2021, Microsoft Japan experimented with a shorter working week programme, called “Work-Life Choice Challenge.” The company gave its 2,300 employees the opportunity to choose a variety of flexible work styles.

According to a blog post by Microsoft Japan, the goal of Management was to see if there would be a corresponding increase in productivity and morale when hours were reduced. 

The results of the experiment indicated that workers were happier, and productivity increased by 40% within the timeframe of the experiment. Other areas of interest included a 60% reduction in printer usage and 23% reduction in electricity costs for the organisation.