Workers are demanding four-day weeks in tech – here's how to implement them properly

Weekends could soon be coming around more quickly for more tech workers. A recent four-day week trial organized by the 4 Day Week Foundation ended in May, with all 17 participating UK companies deciding to continue with the model. A six-month, tech-specific trial kicked off on June 30.

The four-day week is nothing new, of course. Microsoft’s Japan division experimented with it back in 2019, resulting in happier employees and a 40% productivity boost, and a 2024 trial by Thrive and the University of Sussex found four-day workers experienced 21% better wellbeing than those working regular hours.

The benefits of a four-day week have also been recognized by UK businesses, with 200 companies now having switched to the work format full time. Workers are recognizing the direction of movement, with 83% of respondents to a recent Owl Labs survey indicating a four-day week will be more popular than the norm by 2030.

The majority (76%) of respondents said a four-day week would improve their work-life balance, while four in five working five-day weeks with increased working demands, such as being made to work in-office, are looking for new roles.

Indeed, though flexible working arrangements have stuck over the past few years, more companies are now imposing sweeping return to office (RTO) mandates. Some are pushing back against these return demands, preferring the work-life balance that comes with being remote, and arguing that their presence in the office doesn’t actually make them more productive. For companies struggling to get their employees to return, the four-day week could be a compromise.

Four-day week in tech: Consider the approach

To put it simply, the four-day model means employees effectively put in 20% fewer hours across a week without a reduction in their pay packet. The idea is that they’ll be incentivized to work just as hard, if not harder.

There are different ways companies can implement a four-day week.

Cloud native service provider Civo switched to a four-day week in 2021 following a trial in 2020. Every employee works their full hours across four days and most opt to have the Friday off. Mark Boost, CEO and founder of Civo, tells ITPro that while his firm has to hire additional staff in sales and customer support to ensure business continuity across the full working week, a major restructuring was not necessary to accommodate the four-day model.

He adds that while the results haven’t been as massive as some headline figures, there has been a marked improvement in employee wellbeing.

“It’s not been a magic productivity fix for us – output has stayed broadly the same – but the gains in wellbeing and engagement have been enormous,” says Boost.

Berlin-based marketing technology specialist Awin switched to a four-day week in 2023 following an 18-month trial. Flexi-Week, as the company calls it, allows employees to either take a full day off or split their fifth day so that they work three full days and two half days.

“We measured where we could and saw the same, or increased, productivity from staff,” says Adam Ross, CEO at Awin. Employees are also happier, which has resulted in fewer sick days, lower levels of stress and a higher quality of work, he adds.

The employee wellbeing benefits attached to a four-day week are helping both Awin and Civo to attract and retain talent.

Four-day week in tech: Start with a pilot

Companies considering adopting a four-day week, but unsure how to go about it, should start by running pilots, advises Molly Johnson-Jones, CEO at Flexa, an online platform for flexible roles at the likes of BT, Microsoft and SAP.

“Pilots can help companies decide and prepare. They’re a great way to trial and collect feedback on different options, and tailor policies to the needs of your staff and business before making anything permanent,” says Johnson-Jones.

The key to a successful pilot is employee buy-in and this comes through clear communication, she adds. If it’s not made clear to employees what’s expected of them during a shortened week in terms of productivity , then they may struggle to adapt to the new way of working. Employees also need to be able to trust their managers – if they think their productivity is being monitored, then they may be more reluctant to buy into the four-day model.

Any four-day week has to be suitable for clients and customers. Ross says Awin still provides a “5-day service”. If a client needs something on a Friday, then someone is there to pick it up. “Upholding our high standard of partner and client service level agreements was non-negotiable in adopting this model.”

Ross recommends being upfront with clients and customers to help manage expectations. Leaders need to make all stakeholders aware that the new working model won’t have a negative impact on the quality of service and establish backup protocols, in case a client or customer has an urgent matter that needs to be escalated.

“There are plenty of approaches out there, whether it’s giving everyone the same day off, rotating teams to keep coverage, or tailoring it by department,” says Boost. “The key is to make sure that your critical functions are still covered, without overloading the rest of your staff.

“Even if a four-day week means accepting that productivity might simply hold steady rather than dramatically improve, a happier, more balanced team is better for the business long term.”