Many countries and institutions are starting to adopt the four-day work week because they think it incentivizes workers to be more productive. The four-day work week could be a huge step forward as it will provide many with a good work-life balance.

The four-day work week is an experiment designed to give employees a three-day weekend and in foster increased productivity for the four work days.

Many believe that this could create a much better work output for the employer, as employees will get more time to rest and spend time with family and friends. When employees see that their employer cares about them, it will motivate them to work more and improve their overall morale.

Calls for the four-day work week come after the COVID-19 pandemic where workers had to work from all sorts of environments, whether in-person, remote or hybrid. This change in work scheduling also follows the great resignation — a consequence of the pandemic.

Many institutions have begun to adopt this system. Ireland, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom are all starting four-day work week trials. Additionally, a bill was introduced in Congress to shrink the work week to 32 hours, according to Wired.

It is important to note that the four-day work week system is not standard everywhere. Some employers are thinking about implementing it but increasing the work hours per week. For example, an employee would work for 40 hours for four days a week, instead of the standard 32 hours for five days a week.

Some experts even think the system will not apply to some businesses. Most of the reviews of the four-day work week have been positive.

When Bolt, a fintech startup that adopted the four-hour work week trial, was surveyed 94% of employees and 91% of the managers were in favor of continuing the trial, according to NBC.

A concern for many employees is losing free time at work where they can make small talk and experience usual human interactions.

“There wasn’t time for banter,” an employee at Bolt said, reported Wired.

Additionally, many people said they liked the four-day work week because they can book their doctor’s appointments and go grocery shopping. If these businesses also adopt a four-day work week, it could decrease interest in the system because individuals lose the ability to be productive on the lengthened-weekends.

Despite concerns, the trials have shown promising outcomes and could lead to huge changes in personal and work life.

Recently, there have been many unprecedented changes. This could just be the next big change that could bring progressive thinking into the work-life going forward.