A Practical Guide to Building a Business Case for a Shorter Workweek
The five-day, 40-hour workweek has been the standard for over a century. But today’s workforce has the motivation, tools, and momentum to change that for good.
Businesses are under pressure to boost productivity, retain top talent, and prevent burnout, all while staying competitive in an evolving market. Employees are overwhelmed with work, engagement is dropping, and the turnover rate is expensive.
Something has to give.
What if we could encourage the culture of doing more with less, foster a better work-life balance, and cultivate sustainable productivity within organizations? That’s basically the idea behind shorter workweek programs.
In this guide, I’ll share how to create a compelling business case for a shorter workweek with practical tips to increase the chance of success, just as we’ve helped companies worldwide across industries to transform with satisfaction.
Why Businesses Are Implementing a Shorter Work Week
The momentum for the four-day workweek continues to grow, as companies that adopted it early and government-supported trials report more positive results than drawbacks. And most companies tend to stick with this model after their trials.
Here are some key reasons why a shorter workweek makes business sense:
Employee Well-Being and Productivity Go Hand in Hand
Long hours don’t guarantee better results. In fact, research shows the opposite: overworked employees experience higher stress, lower engagement, and declining productivity.
Companies that have adopted shorter workweeks report sharper focus, greater efficiency, and a noticeable boost in job satisfaction. That’s because making fewer hours work requires more than just cutting a day. They had to go through a thorough process of rethinking workflows, redesigning systems, and adopting a new mindset that prioritizes both wellbeing and performance.
Employees are on board, too: 78.5% of employees said they are highly motivated to improve efficiency in order to work fewer hours, according to our Rethinking Work Week study.
When your teams are healthier and happier, productivity follows. And that should be the goal for any business looking to improve performance.
A Competitive Edge in Talent Attraction and Retention
In a competitive labor market, organizations must offer more than just competitive salaries.
Flexible work arrangements, including shorter workweeks, have become a major differentiator. In fact, a 2023 Drive Research study revealed that 66% of employees consider a shorter work week an attractive perk when considering a job offer.
Employees value time just as much as compensation, and companies that prioritize work-life balance gain an edge in attracting and retaining top talent.
Environmental and Economic Benefits
Shorter workweeks don’t just benefit employees; they can also reduce business costs and support sustainability. Studies link reduced work hours to lower energy consumption, fewer commuting emissions, and more time for employees to engage in eco-friendly activities.
Forward-thinking organizations recognize that reducing work hours can align with corporate sustainability goals while also improving operational efficiency.
For more, check out our blog on 9 Surprising Pros and Cons of the Shorter Work Week.
Getting Company Stakeholders Onboard
Shifting to a shorter workweek is more than a scheduling change. It requires a fundamental rethink of how work gets done across the organization.
You might need to reframe the conversation from ‘working less’ to working better to bring leadership, managers, and employees on this meaningful journey.
Break the Conventional Norms of Productivity
Leadership buy-in is essential, but one of the biggest challenges in adopting a shorter workweek is breaking the long-held belief that productivity is tied to hours worked. Many organizations hesitate to embrace a four-day workweek because they fear it will lead to unfinished tasks, delayed responsiveness, and lower output.
That’s why it is fundamentally important to redefine productivity and alter the measurements from hours worked to outcomes and value.
Moreover, data consistently shows that well-rested, engaged employees perform better, innovate more, and stay longer with their companies.
The best way to convince leadership is with concrete data from companies that have already made the shift. A well-planned pilot program can generate internal evidence that supports long-term adoption. Executives are more likely to support change when they see it as a strategic advantage, not just a cultural experiment.
Empower Managers to Lead the Transition
Managers play a crucial role in making a shorter workweek successful. They are the bridge between leadership vision and daily execution to ensure that teams maintain the expected outcomes while transitioning to a shortened schedule.
Research indicates that some managers appreciate the four-day workweek as it offers a structured approach to flexibility. But not every team functions the same way. You might want to consider giving managers more control over adaptation by having the flexibility to select the most suitable reduced-hours model for their team.
Moreover, many teams already spend too much time in unnecessary meetings, dealing with communication overload, or navigating outdated processes. Therefore, collaborate closely with team leaders to pinpoint bottlenecks and enhance workflows.
Engaging Employees as Active Participants
A common pitfall is assuming employees will automatically embrace a shorter workweek. In reality, they need clarity on how it will work, what’s expected of them, and how their workload will be managed in the new schedules.
A shorter workweek must feel like a collaborative effort to optimize workflows and work smarter in fewer hours. Otherwise, you risk productivity stagnation.
While there is a positive signal of employee motivation to improve efficiency, workplace norms around “busyness” and presenteeism must first be addressed in every company to make the four-day workweek a success.
The other best practice is to involve employees in identifying inefficiencies for improvement. However, this is only possible in a workplace culture that fosters open communication, psychological safety, and trust. When employees feel safe to challenge outdated processes and propose better ways of working, the transition to a shorter workweek becomes a shared goal to achieve.
Starting with a Structured Pilot Program
As mentioned, a well-executed pilot program is the best way to reduce leadership skepticism, give managers confidence, and ensure employees adjust smoothly. It also provides real data to measure success before scaling the initiative.
For a pilot to succeed:
Set clear metrics to track performance: Align on success indicators such as KPIs, customer satisfaction rate, and employee engagement rate to measure the results of shorter workweek trials.
Gather ongoing feedback: Employees and managers should have a platform and are encouraged to provide feedback during the experiment. You may find many helpful insights to refine the approach beyond the scores.
Refine the program before broader implementation to more departments.
