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Why do we work 40 hours per week? Is it the exact right amount of time for every full-time employee in all jobs across every industry? Probably not.
During the Industrial Revolution, factory workers often worked 80-100 hours per week. Employees were worked to the bone. But in 1926, “Henry Ford popularized the 40-hour work week after he discovered through his research that working more yielded only a small increase in productivity that lasted a short period of time,” according to Culture Amp. Ford Motor Company employees started to work five, eight-hour days without a decrease in pay. It was a breakthrough in how we work. But it was also nearly one hundred years ago.
The Henry Fords of today (maybe not as famous but just as forward-thinking) have started to question the five-day work week in a push for a better work-life balance and the potential for higher productivity.
Looking for a 4-day work week job?
Take a look at Flexjobs, the world’s biggest job board dedicated to remote and flexible work. You’ll find dedicated filters to “flexible” and “alternative” schedules. >> Search for 4-day work week jobs on Flexjobs.
Here are all of the companies that have made announcements that they’ll implement a four-day work week as a trial or permanently. I’ll update the list every time a notable announcement comes out.
Every 4-Day Work Week Company (+Jobs They Offer)
Company | Policy | Country | Jobs | Date | Story |
 QuickMail | Permanent | Switzerland | September 14, 2022 | "I decided to move our entire team to 4 days work week and double down on talent acquisition. And I mean a true 4 days work week, 8 hours / day, 32 hours a week. It may be strange giving how much I love working and that I expect a lot from people working with me. | |
 Charlie Hustle | Permanent | United States | September 8, 2022 | "This realization, along with a bevy of pandemic adjustments, led the small company’s leadership to launch an experiment this May: a four-day work week for all salaried employees in its Crossroads headquarters. Employees of the company started getting every Friday off work without a reduction in their pay or an increase in hours this summer." | |
 Rogue Games | Permanent | United States | August 19, 2022 | "Rogue is instituting a permanent four-day work week for all employees. Every Friday off. No extra hours on other days. | |
 KMPC Los Angeles | Permanent | United States | July 13, 2022 | "William Choo, a reporter and editor at Radio Korea, a commercial AM radio station in Los Angeles, has been working the same weekly schedule for 20 years. So when his employer recently decided to shift to a four-day workweek, he was shocked. He never expected the company to do anything like it, especially amid inflation and a shaky economy." | |
 Swampscott (Town) | Trial 38 Hours | United States | July 6, 2022 | "Town Hall will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. On Wednesdays, Town Hall will be open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m." | |
 Helping Hands | Trial 32 Hours | United Kingdom | July 4, 2022 | "Luckily for me, my organisation is one of the 70 companies that began piloting a four-day working week with no reduction in pay earlier this month. It’s already looking like one of the best decisions we ever made." | |
 NPCA | Permanent | United States | June 30, 2022 | "I’ve learned that [time] is the best gift I can give to my family as well as my staff. So, starting July 1, NPCA will transition to a four-day work week, enabling people to take Fridays off and enjoy more of their time for themselves." | |
 Yac | Permanent | United States | Unknown | "At Yac, we operate a four-day work week to give our people flexibility. With a 32-hour work week instead of a 40-hour work week, we’ve seen people get their work done while traveling the world, giving back to their communities, and starting passion projects." | |
 Marketing Signals | Permanent | United Kingdom | April 21, 2022 | "We already measure our teams based on output not attendance. We have added 30 minutes to each day and removed 1 full day per week. The working week becomes 32 hours not 37.5 hours." | |
 Whyfield | Permanent 32 Hours | United Kingdom | April 4, 2022 | "From 4th April 2022, Whyfield is moving to a four-day working week with a twist – our staff will be working a four-day week, but the office will still be open five days (Monday to Friday), plus we’re extending our opening hours to 8.30am – 5.30pm." | |
 Real | Trial 32 Hours | United States | March 31, 2022 | "At Real, our mission is to make mental wellness an essential part of well-being, and we believe that is dependent on a mentally well workplace. We’ve instituted multiple policies to bring this to life over the past two years, and today, I am excited to announce a new four-day workweek pilot, running from April through the end of June." | |
 Reward Agency | Permanent | United Kingdom | Unknown | "We operate on a 4 working day week - meaning we don't work Wednesdays. Why? Because 2 days working, 1 day off, 2 days working has made us all happier. Oh and pay isn't reduced and you get the same holiday entitlement." | |
 Resilience Brokers | Permanent | United Kingdom | Unknown | "We aim to be effortlessly effective. We are a 4 day a week employer allowing everyone in the organisation time for wellness and mental health, when people bring their best selves and highest levels of creativity to do the best work of their careers, and just have fun.We embrace life long learning and curiosity, self reflection and critical thinking." | |
 PTHR | Permanent | United Kingdom | Unknown | "At PTHR, they found that through flexibility in their approach to a four day week, as well as constant communication between employees about their needs and challenges, meant that any practical kinks were ironed out." | |
 Highfield Professional Solutions | Trial | United Kingdom | Unknown | "Highfield Professional Solutions, in Durley, began the three-month trial after responses from employees on the importance of work-life balance and wellbeing. There is no compressed schedule or loss of pay so everyone at Highfield works for four days while they are paid for five. The goal is to improve productivity between Mondays to Thursdays as well as employee satisfaction as the three-day weekend allows for more opportunities to relax and be with family." | |
 Geeks For Social Change | Permanent | United Kingdom | Unknown | "We are a 4-day-week employer, working 4 days a week for 6 hours (24 hours per week) because we think the 40 hour work week sucks and this is a more reasonable work/life balance. All staff work from home and choose the hours that suit them (within reason!)." | |
 Charlton Morris | Permanent | United Kingdom | Unknown | "A specialist search firm in Leeds has introduced a four-day week for all of its staff following a successful trial which aimed to encourage a ‘healthy work-life balance’. Charlton Morris announced their 93 employees and consults across the country would only work four days a week and retain their normal pay. They underwent a six-month trial in a bid to understand the effects of a shorter week on productivity - and found it improved people’s motivation at work." | |
 Iloilo, Philippines (City) | Permanent | Philippines | March 28, 2022 | "We need to adjust because of rising costs of fuel. This will mean savings on electricity and less traffic. As an added value, this will also allow our officials and employees to have quality time with their families for three days — Friday, Saturday and Sunday," said Mayor Jerry Treñas. City Hall targets to open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Thursday, to cover the required 40-hour work week." | |
 Our Community | Trial | Australia | February 27, 2022 | "On June 6, Our Community — a software company that provides training and resources to community groups — will revolutionise its workplace, according to its group managing director, Denis Moriarty. All of its 75 staff will work a four-day week on full pay, in a radical six-month pilot that the company says will be a failure if productivity is not maintained at the levels required." | |
 Bulkhead | Trial | England | February 22, 2022 | "This week marks the beginning of a 6 month trial of a 4 Day Work Week at BULKHEAD. We are proud to be the first British studio with over 100 developers to be trialing this at scale." | |
 GoLinks | Trial 32 Hours | United States | February 17, 2022 | "Today is our Friday (Thursday)! At a time when balance, wellness and mental well-being are especially important, I'm thrilled to share that GoLinks has officially adopted a 4 Day Work Week!" | |
 Hutch | Trial | England | February 17, 2022 | "As part of the trail, The Rebel Racing developer will be moving from a 40 hour work week to 32 hours with no decrease in pay for 6 months." | |
 Slunks | Permanent | Wales | February 14, 2022 | "Staff at Slunks in Morgan Arcade now work a four-day week for no less pay than for working five days. They are happier, more productive and provide a better service, said McCauley." | |
 Blackbird Interactive | Permanent 32 Hours | Canada | February 11, 2022 | "The company experimented with giving employees four-day workweeks from September to December in 2021 in an effort to reduce the effects of overworking and decrease burnout. By the end, workers voted unanimously to keep this schedule forever." | |
 448 Studio | Permanent 32 Hours | United Kingdom | February 10, 2022 | "Of course, Covid has had a huge impact on how we go about our work from day to day, but one of the positive effects is that it has shown businesses that there is huge potential to adapt and change. On the less positive side, it has also contributed towards this “great global resignation wave” that we are facing. 4 Day Work Week Global’s pilot programme manager, Joe O’Connor believes however that “reduced working time” could be the key to solving this problem now that employees want more freedom as life slowly returns to normal." | |
 KPMG | Seasonal | United States | February 10, 2022 | "We at @KPMG | |
 REM Web Solutions | Permanent 32 Hours | Canada | February 4, 2022 | "We are excited to announce that effective this February we will be moving toward a 4-day work week! This is to provide a better work life balance for our staff. Our office will not be open on Fridays starting February 4, 2022." | |
 Justuno | Permanent 32 Hours | United States | January 27, 2022 | "Work shouldn’t suck. Sunday scaries shouldn’t define your weekend. And the burnout everyone is feeling from the continued impact of COVID-19 isn’t something we want to contribute to. Rather, we want to encourage our team to take care of themselves, decompress, and focus on the life side of work-life balance." | |
 Canon (UK) | Trial | England | January 16, 2022 | "A British arm of the camera company Canon will this year become one of the latest businesses to trial a four-day working week with no loss of pay, as part of a six-month trial run by academics at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford." | |
 Signifyd | Permanent | United States | January 12, 2022 | "When employees are literally working in the same place where they’re supposed to play and relax, burnout just becomes a very real possibility,” Signifyd Senior Vice President of People Operations Emily Mikailli said. “The data demonstrates that four-day workweeks have proven to help with that. Our business is based on the power of data. It wouldn’t make much sense to ignore the data in this case, especially when it concerns an issue that is vital to our employees’ well-being.” | |
 D'Youville College | Trial 32 Hours | United States | January 10, 2022 | "The four-day workweek has come to an American college. D’Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y., turned heads last week when it announced that staff and administrators would shift to a four-day, 32-hour workweek—down from the five-day, 37.5-hour week they previously worked—without any reduction to their pay or benefits. The private college is launching the four-day workweek on a trial basis, with plans to assess how it’s working, and whether there have been any changes in student satisfaction, after six months." | |
 Panasonic | Permanent | Japan | January 6, 2022 | "Executives at some Japanese firms are reacting to the pandemic by adopting more flexible work arrangements. | |
 Chief Nation | Permanent | England | January 5, 2022 | "As of today, we’re proud to offer a four-day working week option for all our employees with no reduction in salary. The move comes as we aim to further improve employee wellbeing, make our business more sustainable, and take account of the realities of flexible working." | |
 Starship | Permanent | United States | January 1, 2022 | "Today we’ve decided to take this experiment a step further by instituting a four-day work week. Starting next year, all Fridays will be treated like another weekend day. That means more time with family and friends, and more time to recharge and bring that back to work on Monday." | |
 thredUP | Permanent | United States | 2021 | "Did we mention that we are currently utilizing a 4 day work week to really emphasize the importance and value of work-life balance? When our team shows up for work, they are energized and motivated to succeed - all while being the most crucial piece to keeping the thredUP operations humming." | |
 The Financial Diet | Permanent | United States | November 30, 2021 | “Regular reminder that we switched to a 4-day workweek earlier this year and will never go back,” the founder of the Financial Diet wrote in a Nov. 23 tweet that got more than 7,000 likes. “Revenue increased, everyone’s happier, the same work gets done. And also three days is the minimum for a good weekend.” | |
 Coconut Software | Permanent | Canada | November 1, 2021 | "The Cabana Day program was inspired from other countries and organizations implementing a four day work week, providing a better work life balance to their staff. It is so critical to ensure people have time to put themselves and their families first." | |
 Atom Bank | Permanent | England | November 1, 2021 | "A British bank has adopted a four-day work week for all its employees without cutting pay, saying it's the largest UK company so far to make such a move. | |
 thryve | Trial | South Africa | October 19, 2021 | "We’re trialling the Monday to Thursday work week with no reduction in pay and no increase in the hours worked on those days. We average about 8 right now, and that’s not going to go up." | |
 Eidos-Montreal | Permanent | Canada | October 8, 2021 | "Staff at the Canadian game studio Eidos-Montreal will no longer have to work Friday after the company announced a switch to a four-day work week. The studio, which is currently developing Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" game and has about 500 employees, said salaries won't change and that workers' hours would drop from 40 a week to 32." | |
 Praytell | Trial | United States | October 1, 2021 | "We’ll start on October 1 giving us time to get teams staffed appropriately building off learnings from our pilot in 2020. We’ll have around 70% of our team working Monday through Thursday and 30% working Tuesday through Friday." | |
 Wonderlic | Permanent | United States | September 28, 2021 | "After reviewing the results of a successful 12-week summer trial, Wonderlic is fully instating a 32-hour, four-day work week, effective immediately." | |
 TAC Security | Trial | United States | September 27, 2021 | “It’s all about keeping standards of execution high, while still putting the team’s health and well-being first. We are a team of young people and young company, we can experiment anything possible to ease the team members work life balance. We recognise that it’s important for our leaders to set an example for the rest of their teams by walking the talk.” | |
 Bolt | Permanent | United States | September 22, 2021 | "I believe a 4 day work week isn’t an “if” for most companies, it’s a “when.” In true Bolt spirit, we didn’t wait around to follow others - we put our money where our mouth is. I’m honored to lead the company this way and can’t wait to share the results along the way." | |
 InDebted | Permanent | Australia | September 15, 2021 | "Today we are announcing that InDebted will be moving to a 4 day work week (‘4DWW’). We’re also making our customer service team available to our customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." | |
 CIB Group | Permanent 36 Hours | Germany | September 1, 2021 | "Since September 2021, more than 150 full-time employees of the CIB Group have been working four days a week – with the same salary and holiday entitlement. With this innovative work concept, we are taking a significant first step towards #NewWork." | |
 G2i | Trial | United States | September 2021 | "Currently, we work 4 day / 32-hour workweeks every other week and are experimenting with permanent 4-day workweeks." | |
 Covert Marketing | Permanent 36 Hours | United States | September 2021 | "Employees at Covert Marketing, a search engine optimization company based in Houston, work Monday through Thursday for nine hours a day for a 36-hour work week. Founder Gregory Melon said he piloted the program last September as a way to deal with burnout." | |
 Technical.ly | Trial Seasonal | United States | August 5, 2021 | "We have reservations: Can a business news organization really drop a workday?
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 Galt Pharmaceuticals | Permanent | United Kingdom | August 4, 2021 | "We understand that life is work, but work doesn’t always have to consume life…And time is needed to recharge batteries and dedicate to the self and family," Barry Patel, CEO, said in a LinkedIn post. | |
 Arken.legal | Permanent | United Kingdom | July 28, 2021 | "As highlighted above, employees feel a 4-day work week allows them to perfectly balance work and life. Thanks to the extra day off, people can better manage their time and approach work with more energy and enthusiasm." | |
 The UPAC Group | Permanent | United Kingdom | July 27, 2021 | "After extensive research and trials, the management is set to formalise the four day working week with staff remaining on full salary, full holiday entitlement and all the benefits of working at a truly incredible company. The goal is to create the best possible working environment, inclusive of a work/life balance that makes The UPAC group the employer of choice for anyone who wishes to enjoy their career/job." | |
 Team Custard Kraken | Permanent | United Kingdom | January 20, 2022 | "As of today Team Custard Kraken is officially recognised as a 4 Day Week employer. The 4 Day Week movement aims to revolutionise the way we work by campaigning for a standard 4 day working week as opposed to the normal convention of 5 day weeks. The ultimate goal of this campaign is to relieve stress on work forces while also driving down the UK carbon footprint." | |
 Kickstarter | Trial | United States | January 1, 2022 | "Kickstarter plans next year to test a four-day work week with some or all of its employees, though details of that remain to be figured out, including whether all workers will have the same schedule," wrote Ina Fried for Axios. | |
 StreamGO | Permanent | United Kingdom | November 22, 2021 | "The organisation’s 18 employees will initially move to a 32-hour working week from 35 hours as of 22 November in order to see how it affects operations, allowing the business to resolve any unforeseen challenges that may arise. It will then move to a four-day 28-hour week by mid-2022 with no alterations to pay or benefits, with staff effectively gaining more than 50 days of annual leave in addition to their existing allowance." | |
 Venture Stream | Permanent | United Kingdom | September 6, 2021 | "Beginning on Monday 6th September, we’ll be trialling the new four day working week for a three month period to see how both our staff and clients respond, but we have every intention of making the change permanent. There will be no loss of pay or benefits for the VS team, nor will they have to work longer days to facilitate the new structure. " | |
 Forward Space | Permanent | United Kingdom | September 2021 | ||
 Webpower Adria | Permanent | Croatia | August 21, 2021 | "Personally, I don't know any Croatian company that offers this - so we at Webpower Adria are proud to be among the first companies in Croatia to introduce the 4-day work week." | |
 Reboot | Permanent | United Kingdom | August 12, 2021 | "That’s why, in true Reboot fashion, we have already decided to embark on our next mission: saying goodbye to work on a Friday and welcoming the 4-day working week. Here is how and why." | |
 Emtrain | Trial | United States | August 1, 2021 | “I can say our workforce is motivated, has stepped up to the new challenges and we haven’t seen either a decrease in productivity or any client-related issues that would cause us to reconsider,” Yancey told HRD. “It’s a big step to take, but if we continue down this path, I can see full implementation taking place permanently.” | |
 Healthwise | Trial | United States | August 1, 2021 | ||
 Evolved | Trial | United Kingdom | August 1, 2021 | "Our new 4-day week will run from the start of August 2021 through to the end of January 2022 – 6 months overall – to gather data on staff wellbeing, efficiency, and more. Should it be successful, our senior management team anticipates a permanent roll-out of the approach." | |
 Knowledge Futures Group | Trial 32 Hours | United States | July 12, 2021 | "For us, that means that neither productivity expectations nor compensation will change. But we’re no longer meeting at all on Fridays, and no one is expected to respond to Slack or email." | |
 YWCA Scotland | Permanent | Scotland | July 7, 2021 | "Our own Status of Young Women in Scotland 2020-2021 report revealed that 16-30 year-old women across the country recognise the importance of a healthier work-life balance, and the specific need for flexible working patterns to ensure a more accessible labour market for women at all stages of their careers. Following our own SYWS20-21 advice, as of this month (July 2021) we are transitioning our working pattern to a 4-day week across the organisation." | |
 Digible | Permanent | United States | June 17, 2021 | "It was way back, even before Digible was started when Reid had the idea of a 4-day workweek in his mind. Reid starts the conversation, talking about how he heard about the concept and some of the early research done by prominent tech companies on how a 4-day workweek may improve the performance of an organization" | |
 GooseChase | Trial Seasonal | Canada | June 17, 2021 | "We've decided to try our most radical experiment yet - 4-day work weeks - aka Flock Fridays! For the next three months (June - August 2021), we'll be modifying our work schedule to see if we can keep our productivity high, while reducing our working hours." | |
 MyCheckIns | Permanent | United States | May 1, 2021 | "A 4-day work week will not work for everyone.
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 Xaso | Permanent | United Kingdom | March 2021 | "After reviewing the trial in full we decided to permanently implement the four-day working week; what we’ve seen internally, for us, the effect the schedule has as a whole more than outweighs the monetary value lost in potential profitability in the short term." | |
 Groupe LDLC | Permanent | France | February 13, 2021 | "A decision going against the grain of “work more“. Lyon-based IT company LDLC has just switched to a four-day work week. This measure concerns all employees, from the president himself, to salespeople, logisticians, etc." | |
 Common Knowledge | Permanent | United Kingdom | February 2021 | "About three months ago we decided to trial a four-day week, at no loss of pay, for all members. We recently reviewed our trial and it easily passed as a permanent change to our employment statuses. In this post, we'll outline how we did it, what we discovered in our trial and why the four-day week is an important step for any organisation." | |
 Procurify | Optional | Canada | January 25, 2021 | "Procurify values its people and allows for a fully remote four-day workweek. Team members have the flexibility to work a four-day workweek like Ko or to spread their tasks over five days." | |
 Autonomy | Permanent | United Kingdom | January 17, 2021 | "We’re excited to announce the launch of a new Four-Day Week pilot programme taking place across the UK, working in partnership with 4 Day Week Global, Cambridge University, Oxford University, Boston College, and the 4 Day Week UK campaign." | |
 Boulder County, CO (County) | Trial | United States | January 1, 2021 | "Six Boulder County offices and departments will begin shifting to a four-day work week beginning in 2021. The move is part of the county's four-day work week pilot program that will analyze the productivity, public satisfaction and cost savings after the four-month trial concludes in April 2021." | |
 Escape the City | Permanent | United Kingdom | 2021 | "This month has seen many companies trial the 4-day-work week. It’s a campaign we love: Escape went from running a trial earlier in 2021 to becoming permanent adopters. We’re always looking to promote companies or ideas that understand how meaningful work can fit into the larger picture of someone’s life, and today we bring you both." | |
 Vault City Brewing | Permanent | United Kingdom | 2021 | "The company has been trialling the shorter working week since last year. It is believed to be the first UK commercial brewery to introduce a four-day working week for staff." | |
 Awin | Permanent | United States | December 15, 2020 | "After a successful 6 month 4 ½ day work week pilot, offering increased flexibility and autonomy for its staff during the pandemic, global affiliate network has announced that from early 2021 its entire workforce will move to a 4-day work week with no reduction in salaries," Aithority wrote. | |
 Unilever New Zealand | Trial 32 Hours | New Zealand | November 30, 2020 | "Unilever said all 81 staff members at its offices across New Zealand would be able to participate in the trial, starting next week and running for 12 months until December next year. The employees would be paid for five days while working just four," - The Guardian. | |
 Fifth Tribe | Trial | United States | October 28, 2020 | "We initially said it would be a two-month program during July and August. The way it worked was that we would look at all of the client accounts and split the company in half. This way, the clients wouldn’t experience any breakage in services." | |
 Piktochart | Permanent | United States | October 12, 2020 | "We believe that by prioritizing our people, we will be able to build better products and a successful, sustainable business for the long run. | |
 Mizuho Financial Group | Permanent Optional | Japan | October 7, 2020 | "Mizuho, Japan’s third-largest lender by assets, will give about 45,000 employees the option to work three or four days a week, the spokeswoman said. It aims to make the option available from December after holding talks with its labour union," wrote the Reuters staff. | |
 Unito | Permanent | Canada | October 1, 2020 | "In the end, a four-day week has a positive impact on employee happiness and retention that outweighs our concerns about production. So, we opened up optional four-day weeks to employees. Anyone working four days is doing so at 80% of their salary and benefits, while retaining full health coverage. We didn’t want our employees to choose between health care and a healthier work-life balance." | |
 Elephant Ventures | Permanent | United States | August 4, 2020 | "The software and data engineering company is testing out a compressed four-day workweek starting this week. Employees will have 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday," Kathryn Vasel wrote for CNN Business. | |
 Morrisons | Permanent | United Kingdom | July 17, 2020 | "Morrisons is reportedly set to shake-up its head office working practices by introducing four day weeks – although staff will still be required to work one Saturday a month. The changes include a reduction of weekly hours from 40 to 37.5 – working nine instead of eight hours a day over four days, plus a six-hour day one Saturday per month." | |
 Volt Athletics | Permanent | United States | July 12, 2020 | "As of six weeks ago, Volt switched to a compressed four-day work week and we’re not going back. Friday was declared a flex day, meaning that employees could use that day however they wished. Our team could use Friday to relax, go for a hike, hang out with friends and family, work on projects, catch up on emails, or even write Medium posts like this one!" | |
 Bunny Studio | Permanent | United States | July 6, 2020 | "Bunny Studio is making a move to determine if a four-day workweek is a feasible option to assist our full-time team members while keeping up the high-quality services that our clients expect." | |
 City Of Morgantown, WV (City) | Trial | United States | July 5, 2020 | "For the next year a large majority of workers employed by the City of Morgantown will be working four days a week. 'Employees will work their 40 hours in four days or four 10-hour days,' she said." | |
 Minimal | Seasonal | United States | July 1, 2020 | "The thinking was around emotional and mental wellness,” explains Wilson, but he had practical reasons for the three-day weekends, too. In Chicago, winters are long, and summers are short. There’s not a lot of time to get out and explore." | |
 The Wanderlust Group | Permanent | United States | July 1, 2020 | "One year ago The Wanderlust Group moved to a Tuesday-through-Friday four-day work-week schedule. We did it at first to help the team, but it ended up helping the company too." | |
 Punch Creative | Permanent | United Kingdom | July 2020 | "At the start of July, we took the plunge to move to a four-day work week and so far, so good! In this month’s blog, we’re checking in with the Punch Bunch to see how the people behind the company are finding settling into their new lifestyle in these crucial first few weeks." | |
 Shopify | Seasonal | Canada | June 15, 2020 | "In a tweet by Carl Rivera, VP of Product, said, "Today Shopify announced Fridays off for R&R through August. A response to lower rates of vacation being scheduled, despite the increased mental pressure from the changing times that we’re in. And, we also have no meeting Wednesdays (since before it was cool)." | |
 Uncharted | Seasonal | United States | June 1, 2020 | "This summer, we’re launching an experiment to try out a 4-day workweek. Everyone’s salary is staying the same, but our team will work 32 hours every week between June 1st and August 28th (This is not four 10-hour days. This is four eight-hour days.)." | |
 Toshiba | Trial | Japan | June 1, 2020 | "Technology group Toshiba will begin a four-day workweek in June for employees on the plant floor, giving them one more day in exchange for longer hours while on site, maintaining the annual work hours." | |
 Buffer | Permanent | United States | May 30, 2020 | "As April comes to a close, and we look ahead to another month where our global team is living in various forms of lockdown and isolation, I decided that for the month of May, Buffer will operate under a 4-day workweek (at full pay) across the whole 89-person team." | |
 Primary | Permanent | United States | May 2020 | "In May 2020, as the pandemic sent stress levels through the roof, an online children's clothes retailer called Primary started an experiment that it hoped would prevent its staff from burning out: It gave everyone Fridays off. By December, the new schedule was working so well that Primary decided to extend it indefinitely." | |
 Calibre | Permanent Bi-Weekly | Australia | May 2020 | "As the pandemic and restrictions were taking a toll on mental health and wellbeing, Ben, Calibre’s CEO, decided to switch to a four day (32 hours) work week, every two weeks, effective immediately." | |
 Target Publishing | Permanent | United Kingdom | March 1, 2020 | “Lockdown highlighted the importance of time with family. That’s why we’ve started a new four-day working week – without any reduction in pay – to help support our employees mental health, well-being and give them a healthier work-life balance.” | |
 3D Issue | Permanent | Ireland | April 1, 2020 | "CEO – Paul McNulty – recently made a bold move, offering the entire 3D Issue team the option of a 20% pay rise or a four-day working week. Everybody opted for the shorter week rather than an increase in pay, so the switch will be made to the new arrangement from the start of April." | |
 SEOMG! | Permanent | United Kingdom | February 13, 2020 | "At SEOMG! we are unique in this respect, as we ensure we work a four-day week with no pay loss – this allows the benefits of a full time job and the freedom of a part-time job." | |
 Nectafy | Permanent | United States | February 1, 2020 | "Nectafy started with half-day Fridays and a 36-hour work week. In early 2020, Nectafy decided to lop off Fridays to give permanent three-day weekends. After more than a year on a four-day work week, productivity and profitability are similar, and all employees have stayed with the company and noted positive impacts on their lives." | |
 Barefoot Architects | Permanent | United Kingdom | January 16, 2020 | "We have therefore decided to implement a 4-day week - not just by cramming the same number of hours into four days as we previously worked in five, but by reducing the time we spend working to a 32-hour week." | |
 STC Expeditions | Permanent | United Kingdom | January 6, 2020 | "It’s January, it’s raining, and it’s dark, so why are the team at STC Expeditions in such high spirits? Well... Starting 6th January for 12 weeks, we are trialling a four-day week. All full-time employees, of which there are currently five in the company, will be cutting their hours by 20% whilst retaining full pay. A rota system will ensure the office remains open as usual from Monday to Friday." | |
 JMK Solicitors | Permanent | United Kingdom | January 6, 2020 | "JMK Solicitors, Northern Ireland’s Number 1 Personal Injury Specialists, are amongst the first employers locally to announce they have reduced their working week for staff by 20% to a 4 day week, with no impact on pay after a two-year long research project. The firm based in Belfast and Newry who specialise in personal injury and road traffic accident claims, have reduced full time core working hours by a fifth, from 37.5 hours to 30 hours – but not reduced pay- from 6th January 2020." | |
 Software DELSOL | Permanent | Spain | January 1, 2020 | "Software Delsol is the first company in Spain to introduce the 4-day work week for its 181 employees – without any loss of income. The company in Jaén, a city in southern Spain, is now considered a blueprint for a nationwide model of the 4-day work week in Spain." | |
 JAYU | Permanent | Canada | January 1, 2020 | "At JAYU, we recently completed a study and found that 86% of our team's mental health improved while 100% noted they had more work-life balance as a result of shifting to a 4-day work week," said Gilad Cohen, Founder and Managing Director, in a tweet." | |
 STOP AIDS | Permanent | United Kingdom | "After an 18-month pilot, STOPAIDS has become one of the first charities in England to implement a 28-hour working week. The results from the pilot conveyed that shorter working hours has improved staff well-being and staff productivity has stayed the same and in some cases, even improved. STOPAIDS began a 6-month pilot of the 28-hour week in October 2019. Staff retained the same amount of pay but with a reduced working time of 28-hours per week. We set up a a pilot with key performance indicators and hired an external evaluator. We evaluated initially after 6 months, just as Covid-19 had hit, and decided to extend the pilot so that we could see how our fundraising and long-term advocacy outcomes might be impacted." | ||
 Bit.io | Permanent | United States | September 1, 2019 | "Bit.io has done 4-day, 32-hour work weeks since the company was founded in 2019." | |
 Microsoft Japan | Trial | Japan | July 23, 2019 | "Workers at Microsoft Japan enjoyed an enviable perk this summer: working four days a week, enjoying a three-day weekend — and getting their normal, five-day paycheck. The result, the company says, was a productivity boost of 40%," said Bill Chappell in an NPR article." | |
 Welcome to the Jungle | Permanent | France | June 1, 2019 | "Welcome to the Jungle tried out the four-day working week in 2019 for five months, between June and October. After the trial ended, the company decided to implement the four-day week, without impacting salaries." | |
 MRL Consulting Group | Permanent | United Kingdom | May 13, 2019 | "MRL will be trialling a 4 day working week as of 13th May 2019. Our offices will be closed on Fridays. The trial will run for 6 months and, if successful, will become permanent after this time. There shall be no alteration to compensation or benefits for any employee of MRL." | |
 ICE Group | Permanent | Ireland | May 1, 2019 | "Everyone moved to the four-day week without any loss of pay. Our days have become slightly longer than they would have been, but overall our working week actually reduced." | |
 Elektra Lighting | Permanent | United Kingdom | 2019 | "Currently we’re working flexibly from home but we do have a main office in Holborn we expect to return to on a part-time basis. Note that – major plus – for the last 3 years we’ve adopted revolutionary working practices and work a 4-day week. Yes, Fridays are off, every week; we work a full time 35-hour week spread over Monday to Thursday. We also have an in-house training programme and team structure to encourage your development." | |
 Perpetual Guardian | Permanent 32 Hours | New Zealand | October 1, 2018 | "The New Zealand company behind a landmark trial of a four-day working week has declared it a success and will be adopting the new schedule full time," Eleanor Ainge Roy wrote for The Guardian. | |
 Reflect Digital | Permanent | United Kingdom | October 1, 2018 | "A year on from introducing a four-day-work-week, figures show productivity and staff wellbeing have both improved at the Kent-based digital marketing agency, Reflect Digital." | |
 Brett Nicholls Associates | Permanent | United Kingdom | August 2018 | "You may be aware that since August 2018 we have been trialling a four day work week. The origins of this are mainly in David’s quest for work:life balance, and a TEDx talk we heard by Kirsty Wark, which motivated us to try the concept." | |
 Radioactive PR | Permanent | United Kingdom | June 21, 2018 | "In a company blog post, founder Rich Leigh wrote these bullets: | |
 Gracefruit | Permanent 32 Hours | United Kingdom | January 2018 | "Staff at Elizabeth Carnahan’s Gracefruit, a cosmetics and soap-making supplies firm, return to work today after their festive break to a four-day week – with no loss of earnings. She said it would give staff at the Longcroft, Stirlingshire firm more time for family life, as well as cutting on-site emissions by a least a fifth." | |
 Blink | Permanent 35 Hours | United Kingdom | 2018 | "There is currently a four day working week campaign supported by firms that believe shorter working weeks will help both businesses and workers. Blink, Norwich-based marketing agency, introduced such an arrangement four years ago. Sam Wright, founder and managing director at Blink, said: "A few years ago I saw a few stories of people trying it." | |
 Advice Direct Scotland | Permanent | United Kingdom | 2018 | "David Rutherford, quality and compliance manager at Advice Direct Scotland, told the Herald: “The four-day working week has given staff more time to do what they love. I used my extra day off to take my six-month-old son swimming and go to one of his dentist appointments for the first time. “Everyone in the office is sharing stories about what they did on their day off. It’s created a really positive atmosphere, and everyone loves the better work-life balance.” | |
 Wildbit | Permanent | United States | June 5, 2017 | "Natalie Nagele, Co-Founder and CEO, said in a company blog post, "Starting next week, we’re going to give it a shot. The entire team will work only 4 days a week. We will not be tacking on an extra hour to the other 4 days. We will just be working 32 hours. We’ve time-boxed this experiment to the summer, but we hope we can extend it, so long as there are no significant impacts or consequences." | |
 CMG Technologies | Permanent | United Kingdom | 2017 | "A manufacturing firm in Suffolk has been running on a four-day week for the past five years, allowing staff to strike a better work-life balance while boosting productivity." | |
 Maaemo | Permanent | Norway | September 1, 2016 | After implementing a four-day work week and seeing success, the restaurant owner "...did something even crazier. So noticeable an impact did the reduction have, that Bang decided to take it further: He cut his staff's schedule to three days. Everyone—back- and front-of-house—would still be putting in about 45 hours a week, but they would always have four days off in a row. And once a month, they'd get five days off in succession, so they'd have time to go visit far-flung family, or travel just for fun. | |
 Monograph | Permanent | United States | August 11, 2016 | "While far from common, our San Francisco-based software company, Monograph, has been practicing the four-day workweek since our founding. We’ve seen from firsthand experience how it ultimately continues to be a net positive gain for our business over time." | |
 Administrate | Permanent | Scotland | May 1, 2015 | "We found productivity to be unchanged - if not slightly improved - after implementing the four day work week," Peebles said. "Our goal is to build a company that brings success to our customers, team, and investors, and we believe that sustainable work habits are a key piece of that, hence the desire to make sure that our team has balance between work and the rest of their life. We still work incredibly hard - and smart - but only for 32 hours!" | |
 Think Productive | Permanent | United Kingdom | November 1, 2011 | "Since November 2011, our UK team have worked to a 4 Day Week (4DW). At that time, we were one of only a handful of companies in the world to consciously ditch the 5-day work week in favour of a permanent 3-day weekend." | |
 Treehouse | Permanent | United States | 2010 | "We have over 70,000 students at Treehouse and only 70 employees—and we only work 32 hours a week. I have been working 4 days a week since 2006 because I wanted time to dedicate to the people I love, and when people join the company they often wonder if we’re for real." | |
 Basecamp | Seasonal | United States | May 1, 2008 | "As I write this it’s the first week of May, and there’s an energetic buzz in the air — because it means that Summer Hours are about to start here at Basecamp. During summer, we work 4-day work weeks, aka 'summer hours'. Summer hours are in effect from May 1 through August 31 each year." |
See Also: Every Country Doing A 4-Day Work Week | Tracking 4-Day Week Bills
4-Day Companies That Have Stopped Or Paused
- Shake Shack paused its 4-day work week trial in September of 2021 but said “there’s always a possibility it could return in the future.”
What are the most notable 4-day work week companies?
If you’re looking for a shorter list of well-known companies, here are ten recognizable brands running on a four-day work week:
- Microsoft Japan
- Buffer
- Toshiba
- Shopify
- Unilever New Zealand
- Kickstarter
- Bolt
- Atom Bank
- Thredup
- Panasonic
Our Definitions For 4-Day Work Week Policies
In the table, you’ll see a few different classifications in the “policy” column. Some companies are trialing a four-day work week, while others have made it permanent. Some work 40 hours over four days, while others work 32 hours.
Here’s how we define the four-day work week policies you see in that column:
- Permanent: The company has four work days each week indefinitely.
- Trial: The company is experimenting with a four-day week over a fixed time period.
- Seasonal: The company works four days per week for portions of the year (like summer) rather than the full year.
- Optional: Employees have the choice to work four days per week but it comes with pro-rated (lower) pay.
- 32, 36, 40, 45 Hours: Full-time employees of the company work these amount of hours each week spread over the four working days.
- Three-Day Week: The company only has three working days (rather than four).
- Bi-Weekly: Each employee has a four-day work week every other week.
- Unknown: The company has announced their plans for a four-day work week in the future, but hasn’t yet defined a policy.
In the table, you’ll see each company has at least two of the policy traits to best explain their situation. For example, one company might be “Permanent, 32 Hours” whereas another would be “Trial, 40 Hours.”
How Can Companies Implement The 4-Day Work Week?
I’m the guy with the beard in the video below and I keep track of this four-day week company database. I’ve personally worked four days since January of 2022. Before that, our company went through the decision making to implement the new work week. Here’s our advice.
See Also: Alternative Work Week Schedules
Learn more about four-day work week here:
- How We Implemented The Four-Day Work Week
- 22 Four-Day Work Week Benefits
- Every 4-Day Work Week Study
- The 32-Hour Work Week
Read more from our company trend series:
Want To Add A 4-Day Work Week Company To The List?
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