Icelandic Research Shows Four-Day Work Week Boosts Happiness

A groundbreaking study from Iceland has validated what many employees around the globe have long believed: working fewer hours significantly enhances overall happiness. This research, often dubbed the “four-day work week” study, actually reduced the total work hours by just four to five hours a week (from the standard 40-hour weeks to 35 or 36), all without any cuts in pay. Just think about the possibilities of having an extra hour each day—perhaps an additional hour of sleep or leisure time.

Will Stronge, the research director at Autonomy, which oversaw the study, described it as an “overwhelming success,” noting that it illustrates the potential for the public sector to lead in implementing shorter work weeks, offering valuable insights for other governments.

Initiated in 2017, the trials involved various workplaces, gradually expanding to include more participants. The study encompassed both standard 9-to-5 employees and those with more variable, contract-based schedules. Ultimately, 1.3% of Iceland’s workforce participated in the “short work week” trial.

The results were striking: companies maintained or even improved productivity while enhancing employee well-being and work-life balance. It’s hardly surprising to conclude that reducing weekly hours, without lowering salaries, leads to happier employees.

Interestingly, while participants worked five fewer hours each week, they did not feel the need to compensate for lost time. Instead, employees became more efficient, optimizing their work processes by minimizing meetings and eliminating unnecessary tasks. As researchers pointed out, the reduction in hours encouraged employees to organize their workloads more effectively, leading to changes in meeting structures and schedules, and even avoiding meetings by opting for electronic communication.

Participants reported a noticeable improvement in their work-life balance. One individual remarked, “This [reduction in hours] shows increased respect for the individual. That we are not just machines that work all day… but rather people with desires and personal lives.” Many workers expressed feeling better, more energized, and less stressed as a result of the shortened work hours, which allowed them to engage more in activities like exercise, socializing, and hobbies, ultimately benefiting their work performance.

By June 2021, many Icelandic workplaces had begun to adopt shorter work weeks, with 86% of the workforce either on reduced-hour contracts or having new options available to negotiate shorter hours.

For those in the U.S. hoping for a similar shift, it may depend on advocates like Rep. Olivia Johnson, who shared the study on her social media, asking followers about their thoughts on four-day work weeks. While the culture in the U.S. may lean heavily into capitalism and the hustle mentality, there’s still hope for change. Let’s push for a four-day work week!

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In summary, the Icelandic study on the four-day work week underscores the positive impacts of reduced working hours on employee satisfaction and productivity. This research could serve as a model for other countries to consider as they navigate work-life balance issues.

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