Workweek Wars: Who’s Winning the 4-Day Revolution?

From Iceland to Illinois—how labor laws and lifestyles are being rewritten.

Author

Philip Saparov
October 07, 2025

In partnership with

Greetings, restless re-thinker of the modern grind—

The five-day workweek is under siege. Not by strikers, but by data.

From London to Tokyo, pilot programs are proving what once seemed radical: Work less. Achieve more. Productivity climbs. Burnout drops. And people? Happier.

So who’s slashing hours without slashing pay? And where is this workweek rebellion heading next?

Let’s find out.

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In 2015, Iceland launched one of the world’s boldest workweek experiments—replacing the standard 40-hour schedule with a 35- to 36-hour week for thousands of workers across multiple sectors. The catch? No pay cuts.

The results? Astounding. Productivity remained the same—or even improved. Stress levels dropped. Work-life balance surged. Today, 86% of Iceland’s workforce now enjoys flexible or shortened hours.

Other countries have watched closely. The Icelandic trial didn’t just challenge the norm—it rewrote it.

🔍 Surprising insight: Iceland’s trials were so successful that even police departments and hospital workers kept pace on reduced hours—a sector often thought immune to flexibility.

The United Kingdom ran the world’s largest 4-day workweek trial in 2022, with 61 companies and nearly 3,000 employees participating. The goal? Reduce work time without reducing pay. The outcome? A resounding endorsement.

92% of companies stuck with the model, citing better staff retention, improved mental health, and—yes—increased profits in some cases. Employees reported burnout dropped by 71%, and sick days fell by 65%.

This wasn’t just a workplace perk—it became a business advantage.

📊 Did you know? One participating firm saw sales rise 37% year-over-year during the trial. The myth that fewer hours mean lower output is being dismantled.

In the U.S., the 4-day week is still the exception—but it’s gaining traction. Tech firms and marketing agencies are pioneering flexible models, while politicians like Rep. Mark Takano have introduced legislation to make 32 hours the new full-time.

But it’s a patchwork. Some industries resist change, clinging to legacy expectations. Yet, signs of shift abound:

  • Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform, adopted a permanent 4-day week.

  • Buffer reports more engagement and less burnout since the switch.

  • Several school districts are trying 4-day weeks to cut costs and retain teachers.

💡 Future flash: According to a YouGov survey, over 60% of Americans support a four-day workweek—up sharply from just a few years ago.

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Japan, once infamous for “karoshi” (death by overwork), is taking calculated steps toward balance. Microsoft Japan famously tested a 4-day week in 2019—and productivity soared by 40%.

The government is now encouraging companies to offer "optional Friday" policies to address chronic overwork and boost family time. Even in a culture deeply tied to duty and hours, change is brewing.

🧠 Fascinating twist: Japan’s pivot isn’t just about productivity—it’s also about solving its demographic crisis. Better work-life balance = more time for family = potential boost in birth rates.

In Europe, legal reform is pushing the workweek debate beyond theory.

  • 🇫🇷 France has had a 35-hour legal workweek since 2000, though real-world implementation varies.

  • 🇧🇪 Belgium passed a law in 2022 giving workers the right to condense 38 hours into 4 days, with no pay cut.

  • 🇪🇸 Spain launched a government-backed pilot offering subsidies to companies that reduce hours without reducing wages.

Each country is discovering different paths toward flexibility—some focused on well-being, others on economic resilience.

💼 Notable angle: Belgium’s reform doesn’t reduce hours, but restructures them—granting workers a longer weekend without less pay.

For all the success stories, not every experiment thrives. Some sectors and companies have reversed course, citing challenges like uneven workloads, customer service gaps, or team burnout.

In 🇸🇪 Sweden, a trial at a retirement home increased costs without clear productivity gains. In 🇨🇦 Canada, some businesses reverted to 5-day models after employees felt pressured to do more in less time.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all revolution.

⚖️ Important takeaway: Without the right support systems, 4-day weeks can become “compressed 5-day weeks”—hurting more than helping.

Beyond output, fewer workdays may boost lifespan and life satisfaction. Studies link chronic overwork to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, and mental exhaustion. Meanwhile, more rest leads to better health, stronger relationships, and even improved cognition.

A recent Gallup survey found that people working 4 days per week were more engaged, less stressed, and more satisfied across nearly all metrics.

Even retirement itself may be redefined: some workers are choosing longer careers with shorter weeks, blurring the line between full employment and full retirement.

🧬 Curious stat: In Finland, men working 50+ hours/week had a 60% higher risk of early death compared to those working 35–40.

The five-day week was built for factory lines. Today, it's being rebuilt for real life.

Around the world, governments and companies are cutting hours—not ambition. The 4-day shift isn’t theory anymore. It’s measurable, repeatable, and already reshaping how we live, earn, and age.

Whether you’re rethinking your next role, managing a team, or mapping out retirement, this global rethink of time isn’t just a trend—it’s a chance.

The clock is ticking. Are you ahead of it?

Warm regards,

Shane Fulmer
Founder, WorldPopulationReview.com

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