Deakin University study confirms four-day work week sustains or boosts productivity in Australian firms

A comprehensive study led by Professor John Hopkins of Deakin University has provided robust data supporting the viability of the four-day work week for Australian businesses. Published in Nature’s Humanities and Social Sciences Communications journal, the research analysed 15 companies that trialled the 100:80:100 model between 2022 and 2024. The model requires employees to work 80 per cent of their usual hours while receiving 100 per cent of their pay and maintaining 100 per cent of their output. The findings indicate that 14 of the 15 participating firms continued the model post-trial, with no company reporting a decline in productivity.

The trial encompassed a diverse range of sectors, including property management, publishing, and health technology, suggesting the results are not limited to niche industries. Six companies recorded an increase in productivity, while the remaining nine reported stable output. One company had already operated under the four-day model for nearly eight years prior to the study, while another abandoned the trial due to major internal organisational changes rather than performance issues. The research methodology allowed each company to define its own productivity metrics, such as projects completed on time, absenteeism, or net promoter scores, rather than imposing a single benchmark.

Burnout and staff retention emerged as significant secondary benefits of the trial. Six companies explicitly cited reducing burnout as their primary motivation for adopting the shorter week, a response to broader workforce challenges highlighted by a 2025 Beyond Blue survey indicating that one in two Australian workers experiences burnout. CEOs in the study tracked metrics such as attrition, sick days, and mental health leave to gauge success. One financial services firm noted that maintaining high employee standards was inconsistent with encouraging clients to live their best lives, underscoring a cultural shift in how businesses view employee wellbeing.

The study challenges the assumption that a four-day week simply involves compressing five days of work into four. Instead, successful implementation required co-designing solutions between employees and leadership to restructure workflows. This process involved eliminating low-value tasks, automating repetitive duties, and delegating responsibilities, resulting in more focused work rather than cramming existing tasks into a shorter timeframe. This distinction explains why productivity concerns often prove unfounded, as the model forces a re-evaluation of how time is utilised rather than merely reducing availability.

The findings are contextualised within global trends, including trials in Germany and permanent adoption by over 200 companies in the United Kingdom. The research also links the four-day work week to the potential productivity gains from artificial intelligence, suggesting it as a mechanism for workers to reclaim time rather than simply increasing output. As AI tools automate repetitive tasks, the study posits that the four-day week offers a practical framework for distributing these efficiency gains, allowing businesses to adapt to changing technological landscapes while maintaining operational stability.