Eight hours a day, five days a week: That’s the typical workweek for many Americans. But some companies are rethinking this standard. Around the world, including here in Massachusetts, the change to a four-day, 32-hour workweek has proven positive for businesses and their employees.

Juliet Schor, an economist and sociologist at Boston College whose research focuses on work, consumption and climate change, has been studying four-day workweeks through global studies since 2022. She said the results have been “pretty exciting.”

“We started bringing together groups of companies who were interested in trialing this 32-hour, four-day schedule with no reduction in pay. And we’ve had phenomenal success with it,” Schor said on Under the Radar with Callie Crossley. “We have hundreds of companies, more than 10,000 employees, and many more are still coming in. Most of them are figuring out how to reduce time wasting and get as much done in four [days] and seeing tremendous benefits for their employees.”

Employee satisfaction coupled with increased productivity has also led to success for businesses’ bottom line. Liz Powers, CEO of ArtLifting, said adopting a permanent four-day workweek after several years of experimenting has worked wonders for her company, which has implemented fewer meetings and more focus time for employees.

“ArtLifting represents artists with disabilities, and we have a full-time staff of 26 people, many of whom have disabilities. And we’ve heard from individuals with disabilities in anonymous surveys that it’s been really life-changing for them,” Powers said. “They can feel less worn out from work but also go to doctor’s appointments or physical therapy on Fridays. In terms of a business impact, it’s been huge. As you can imagine, a four-day week really helps attract and retain employees. And as of Q1, we haven’t had anyone resign in three years, and our revenue has doubled from two years ago.”

State Sen. Dylan Fernandes, a former state representative newly elected to the Senate, is encouraged by studies and local examples. Last legislative session in the House, he co-filed a bill for a state-supported four-day workweek pilot program. Though it did not pass on its first attempt, Fernandes said he and co-filer Rep. Josh Cutler will be trying again this year. Fernandes said it’s about time the typical workweek got a reboot and refocused more on the worker’s well-being while also helping businesses stay competitive.

“Employers in Massachusetts are really struggling in attracting and retaining talent. We know that a four-day workweek helps companies to retain talent, helps companies attract talent, and also boosts worker productivity. So in a lot of ways, this has the potential of really helping Massachusetts companies,” Fernandes said. “The vast majority of American workers report being overstressed from work, so this isn’t a healthy economy to live in. They need more time to be with family, to be with friends, to be with community and establish those connections that make life worth living.”

Guests

  • Massachusetts Sen. Dylan Fernandes, representing Plymouth/Barnstable
  • Juliet Schor, economist and sociologist at Boston College whose research focuses on work, consumption, and climate change
  • Liz Powers, CEO of ArtLifting, an organization that aims to connect artists impacted by disabilities and housing insecurity with companies and individuals who would like to show or buy their work