Microsoft Japan tested four day work and witnessed increased productivity

In its Japan offices Microsoft has tested a four day work week. As a result of this practise, the employees were not only happier but also more productive. This was followed in the month of August and the project called Work-Life Choice Challenge Summer 2019. The company has given its entire 2,300 person workforce five Fridays off in a row without decreasing pay.

The shortened weeks led to more efficient meetings, happier workers, and boosted productivity by a staggering 40%, the company concluded at the end of the trial. As part of the program, the company had also planned to subsidize family vacations for employees up to ¥100,000 or $920.

Also, the employees took 25% less time off during the trial. The electricity use was down 23% in the office with the additional day off per week. Employees printed 59% fewer pages of paper during the trial. The vast majority of employees – 92% – said they liked the shorter week.

Microsoft Japan’s challenge was just a pilot project, the company told the Guardian in a statement, and it’s unclear if these changes will be implemented in offices elsewhere or on a longer term basis. It plans to implement another iteration of the challenge this winter.