- Young people think a four-day workweek would make them more productive.
- More businesses are backing the idea and testing it out with “fantastic” results.
- The practice is gaining momentum with companies all over the globe.
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Young professionals said they don’t need 40 hours a week to get their work done.
CNBC/Generation Lab surveyed 1,033 people between the ages of 18 and 34, and the results were overwhelmingly in favor of a four-day workweek.
In fact, 81% of respondents said working one less day a week would improve their company’s productivity.
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They’re not alone — a shorter workweek has been a topic of discussion for years, and an increasing number of companies worldwide have begun testing that out over the past several months. In February, the Dominican Republic announced it would implement a six-month trial of a 36-hour workweek at some major companies.
A police department in Colorado moved workers from 40 to 32 hours a week in July 2023 and reported “fantastic” initial results months later.
Officers show up to work “energetic, more engaged, ready to hit the road and get work done,” their commander previously told CNN.
The idea of a reduced working schedule has some notable backers. Billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates said in November that the workweek could get down to as little as three days with the help of artificial intelligence and machines.
“If you eventually get a society where you only have to work three days a week, that’s probably OK,” Gates said during an appearance on Trevor Noah’s “What Now?” podcast.
But tech CEO Binny Gill previously told Business Insider that AI could have the opposite effect and possibly turn companies into “24/7 machines” where employees remain on call around the clock. The majority of companies have stuck with a five-day week, too.
One alternative: a four-and-a-half day week. Advertising company Basis Technologies ends the day at noon every Friday, and advocates believe it’s a good alternative for companies who aren’t ready to promise a full day off.
The CNBC/Generation Lab survey also showed that 60% of respondents, when asked: “Where do you think you do your best work?” said the office, with 40% saying from home. About three-quarters of those surveyed wouldn’t accept more vacation days for less pay.