Microsoft Cares for Employees & Reaps the Rewards

What: Microsoft conducted a trial in the Japan office that reduced the work week to 4 days.

Details of the Trial: 

• 4 day workweeks with pay for a full week
• 30 minute maximum for meeting times 
• 50% cut to standard meeting attendance
• Encouraged collaborative channels over meetings/emails

Beneficial Results: 

• 40% increase in productivity 
• 23% reduction in electricity costs
• during the 1 month experiment employees printed 60 pages less on average

Work Life Balance | The Trend:

• A New England company created the same trial in 2018 & found it so successful that they adopted the 4-day workweek permanently 
• France has granted employees the right to disconnect from email & phone calls after hours
• The U.K Labour Party has made a 4 day workweek part of its platform
• Since the 70s, worker hours have remained the same, despite an increase in productivity & a lag in pay

NPR.org | 4-Day Workweek Boosted Workers’ Productivity By 40%, Microsoft Japan Says