Microsoft Japan’s four-day working week trial led to productivity improvements

Microsoft’s Japanese division found that reducing its working week to four days throughout the month of August caused an increase in productivity and a decrease in costs.
Microsoft is not the only organization to explore the idea of a shorter working week.
In New Zealand, one trust management company trialed a four-day working week over two months last year and found staff focus improved and stress decreased.
A four-day working week was also the focus of a recent study commissioned by the UK’s Labour party.
The trial, which also included limiting meetings to just 30 minutes, led to cost savings for Microsoft.