Grafting fewer days is officially good for us and even helps us live longer, boffins have found.
The results of the first medical trial into a four-day week reveal a staggering effect on our physical and mental health. Less time at the coalface boosts our sleep and prevents us from getting sick so often.
It could also hold the key to saving the NHS with people needing less medical care, scientists from Sussex University said. Dr Charlotte Rae, who led the study, said: “These results show significant improvements in both physical and mental wellbeing, from reduced stress levels to better sleep quality.
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“Improved productivity and happiness could lead to positive outcomes that enable us to enjoy healthier lives.
“We want to understand how a four-day week could benefit key aspects of health, such as brain function and the immune system, with the potential to reduce NHS burden while improving quality of life.”
The boffs probed better work-life balance over a three-month period and found a 21% surge in worker wellbeing on a four-day week. Stress also plummeted by 9% while emotional exhaustion was down 15%.
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It appears to be a win-win for employers too, with staff productivity soaring by almost a fifth. The study employed cutting-edge techniques like MRI scans, blood tests and sleep tracking for those on four-day patterns. Despite the benefits, the study acknowledged challenges in maintaining five-day customer service coverage.
Some businesses which took part in the trial said they could instead use a four-day week on a seasonal basis to keep up consistent standards. Multiple studies have found a catalogue of benefits to working fewer hours – for both staff and employers. The shorter week is now the norm in many European firms.
Councils in England will have the right to adopt four-day working after the government dropped concerns raised by the Tories when they were in power. Transport for London is also planning to allow tube drivers to begin working an average four-day week next year.