Should all businesses adopt the 4-day workweek? Exploring the impact on employee well-being and productivity

Wang, Bing (2024) Should all businesses adopt the 4-day workweek? Exploring the impact on employee well-being and productivity. Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

This study aims to investigate the feasibility of shifting from a traditional 5-day workweek to a 4-day workweek in different operational contexts. This idea arose because of the COVID19 pandemic, and accelerated by the rising of technology, the 4-day workweek as a potential alternative that challenges traditional work norms and makes organisations reconsider their work structures.

The study is based on 2 existing literatures, including a CIPD report on a 4-day workweek trial in the UK and a global study by Kelly et al (2022). The literature review suggested growing interest among employees and employers and the potential benefits of shorter working weeks, such as improve employee well-being, increase productivity and reduce turnover rates. The study also explores international examples, such as Belgium and the ICE Group in Ireland who already embraced the 4-day workweek. This study will use a mixed-methods approach by both qualitative and quantitative methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of the feasibility of a 4-day workweek and aim to explain the data results in more depth at the end of the research. Qualitative data was collected from 3 in-depth interviews to explore individual experiences, reactions, and attitudes towards a 4-day workweek. Quantitative data was collected via SurveyMonkey, a sample size of 25 individuals from different backgrounds to discuss participants' expectations and perceptions of the 4-day workweek.

Purpose: explores the feasibility and potential impact of adopting a 4-day workweek on employee well-being, job satisfaction, and overall productivity.

Design/methodology/approach: The research uses a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative data from an online survey gathered 25 responses, together with qualitative data from 3 semi-structured interviews to provide a detailed understanding of a 4-day workweek.

Findings: The study found a strong preference for a 4-day workweek from survey respondents, with 88% expressing interest and 76% believing it would significantly improve their work-life balance. However, there is significant resistance of 56% of responses very unlikely to adapt to a 4-day workweek due to additional cost, staffing, administrative complexities, and maintaining productivity, qualitative data supported these findings.

Research Limitations: The small sample size may not fully represent the diverse perspectives on this topic, and the reliance on self-reported assessments which may result in bias. Future research should involve larger, more diverse samples and consider comparative groups to better understand the implications of a 4-day workweek.

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Supervisors:	Name Email MacDonald, Robert UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords:	4-day workweek; work-life balance; well-being; job satisfaction; productivity
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management > Performance Management > Employee Engagement H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Human Resource Management H Social Sciences > Economics > Microeconomics > Production (Economic theory) > Industrial productivity > Labor productivity H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Issues of Labour and Work > Quality of Work Life / Job Satisfaction
Divisions:	School of Business > BA (Honours) in Human Resource Management
Depositing User:	Ciara O'Brien
Date Deposited:	26 May 2025 13:38
Last Modified:	26 May 2025 13:38
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/7652

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