People's enthusiasm for three-day weekends is clear, but what if such a layout was standard for every workplace, every week? The reality is that more than 5,000 British workers are benefiting from this, as an increasing number of companies opt for a four-day workweek.
The latest update from the 4 Day Week Foundation, the UK's national advocate for a four-day workweek, announces that 200 UK companies have transitioned to a permanent four-day workweek, without cutting their employees' salaries.
Fifty-nine of the companies are located in London, with the remainder spread across regions of England and Scotland.
Benefits include working less too.
A four-day working week has numerous benefits for our well-being and the health of the planet.
A pilot conducted by 4 Day Week in 2022 saw 61 companies implement a shorter weekly schedule, resulting in outstanding outcomes.
following the pilot.
The businesses suffered no harm, with some even reporting higher levels of productivity and profitability during the test. But what about the potential environmental effects of making such a change?
"We acknowledge that we must employ a comprehensive approach to address climate change, and while we've focused on various solutions, the potential benefits of a shorter working week have been largely overlooked," Joe Ryle, campaign director for the 4 Day Week Foundation states in an interview with Euronews Green.
“Introducing a four-day workweek with no pay cut for employees can decrease the environmental impact of lengthy commutes and empower individuals to adopt more eco-friendly habits.”
According to the study, the carbon footprint could be reduced by 127 million tons annually through shorter working weeks, which is the equivalent of removing 27 million vehicles from the road.
The 4 Day Week initiative launched a new experiment in November 2024, with over 1,000 employees participating to explore how a reduced working week might suit them. It intends to conduct at least three more trials in 2025.
What are the potential environmental and climatic advantages of a shorter workweek?
Although extensive research into the climate benefits of a four-day work week has not been conducted, the available information is promising.
Then their carbon footprint would decrease by 14.6 percent and their ecological footprint would diminish by 12.1 percent.
By approximately 558 million a week, regularly.
“With a three-day weekend, there are more opportunities for workers to exercise, spend time outdoors or do other things that improve their physical and mental health,” says Henley Business School’s Professor Anupam Nanda. “This in turn means less demand for carbon-producing healthcare services.”
The professor noted that working one less day implies that work vehicles, equipment, and other materials will have less wear and tear, leading to a reduced need for replacements and resulting in additional climate benefits.
Many people may think that working from home or taking their car out for a pleasure drive would be more environmentally friendly, but fewer working hours could actually prove to be worse for the environment.
What benefits result from adopting a shorter workweek on the environment?
There are other more subtle savings to be made.
Pernille Garde Abildgaard, author of "The Secret of the Four Day Week", shared an example of tangible cost savings resulting from reduced working hours with Euronews Green. The example involved a Danish company with approximately 100 employees who are primarily responsible for installing fibre networks at businesses.
She clarifies that when they adopted a four-day workweek, the total number of hours wasn't significantly decreased. Instead of working 37 hours over a five-day span, they now work 34 hours over a four-day period.
They found that having extra hours in the days enabled them to serve four customers daily, as opposed to the previous rate of three," Abildgaard notes. "With everyone having Fridays off, they've managed to save 20 per cent on fuel expenses and ultimately serve more clients overall.
That is another victory for the environment.
and walking.
We gain a climate advantage, and individuals experience improved well-being," says Dr Juliet Schor, an economist and sociologist at Boston College. "I would like to see work-hour reductions in the climate conversation take a much greater place than it has.
Dr. Schor states that her past research indicates that reducing working hours can reset the cultural pattern of producing and consuming at unsustainable levels. She thinks that in the long run, this could result in significant environmental benefits.
Employee participation and engagement in society increased. In a related experiment in the United States, Kickstarter observed that workers became more socially and civically engaged.
Demonstrating a heightened sense of social responsibility and personal growth through establishing better workplace habits and practices such as flexible schedules. This likely implies that most companies won't completely adopt a four-day workweek, but it's anticipated that a greater number will adopt similar changes as part of a broader shift to create more suitable work environments for the future.
One of the simplest and most widely accepted strategies to address climate change is to work shorter weeks," says Ryle. "Transitioning to a four-day workweek benefits not only the well-being of employees but also that of the planet.