People who are on a 4 day working week, what do you think of it?

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sjw_7@reddit

I would love to but the job I am in doesn't lend itself to it. Fair play to those who can though.

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I’m on a 4 day work week, using annual leave after maternity leave as I built up so much. I love it. I have a day with my son, get all my work done during the week, cheaper nursery bill, and feel like the balance of life is slightly okay!

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Khaleesi1536@reddit

I’m on 4 days compressed hours and would never willingly go back to 5 days ever. A true 4 day workweek (with shorter days for same pay) would be the dream.

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ghodsgift@reddit

Can you honestly say that staff put the same effort into a longer day?

Output tends to slow down around 3pm on a typical 8-5, without extending that out an extra hour.

Honestly? Im super skeptical.

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No-Photograph3463@reddit

Maybe, but output is also usually always slow or non-existent on Fridays especially afternoons anyway.

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ghodsgift@reddit

Then youre getting slow output every afternoon from 3-6.

You'll get the initial bounce where everyone will graft the first while as they have a shiny new bonus. Then old habits will fall back in.

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bramleyapple1@reddit

100% yes

May depend on the industry but instead of dicking about on Friday, I'm flat out Monday through Thursday to make sure everything is done. Work load hasn't changed, I'm just more efficient now.

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ghodsgift@reddit

Yeah, i work in Construction and I just can't see how this works.

For clarity, im not in management. I just look at what happens around me. 3pm cup of tea and dicking about.

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No-Photograph3463@reddit

That's just because construction is usually on a day rate anyway, so anything to extend the job to another day is encouraged.

In office jobs that's very much not as much of a thing.

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bramleyapple1@reddit

Yeah so instead of a 3pm cup of tea and dicking about, you work and don't have to work the Friday?

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Gisschace@reddit

Most office workers don’t work full on for 8 hours a day. I think it’s something 5 hours of productive time, the rest is chatting, lunch, making drinks/food, toilet breaks, etc.

So with compressed hours they only need to work an 1.15 hours of that to be the same level of productivity

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External-Praline-451@reddit

Do people put in the same effort on Fridays? Especially Friday afternoons?

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ghodsgift@reddit

We finish at 1pm on a friday as it is. Maybe not the best example.

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External-Praline-451@reddit

That's my whole point, Friday often isn't productive as it is, condensing hours into the first 4 days and ditiching friday probably makes it more productive.

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rkr87@reddit

I used to work 4 days compressed hours and I think I can honestly say I was more productive in those 4 days than I was/am in 5. Mainly because I had 90 mins before everyone else logged on to actually get stuff done without getting dragged into pointless meetings/calls.

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nl325@reddit

Ok, but if everyone else did them you'd just be doing the same hours with those same meetings and calls no?

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rkr87@reddit

Yeah, I wasn't asking for anyone else to do them - just me would be lovely. I gave it up last year for a much higher paying role and hate Mondays with a passion.

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Khaleesi1536@reddit

Well for me, it means I can continue working on something longer before putting it down so I’m more likely to finish the task instead of having to stop and start again the next day. I find it helps keep me focused. It’s actually in-office days that productivity slows, and that’s across the board of people I work with, not just with compressed hours.

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Charming_Part_3713@reddit

I did 4 days after mat leave at a horrible company - Mon-Thu. I hated the company but honestly, 4 days is a dream. My quality of life increased like 50%. On Wednesday you already feel like the end of the week.

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Beginning_Jacket5055@reddit

I remember when i started work the contracted hours were 8:00-4:30, with an option to stretch the other 4 days by 45 mins each if you choose to finish at 1pm on a friday. 8-4:30 already sounded like a long day, so i had no interest in working 8-5:15 just so i could finish early on friday. About halfway through my first week my manager pulls me up on my clock times and was like "yeaaaaahh all of us actually finish at 1 on friday so i cant leave you here alone". 3 years on i can confirm i hate working such long days.

Point being, working a 4 day week sounds awful if its 7-5. The only potential exception is if its WFH. if you have to come into the office at 7 i would hand in my notice immediately

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codloverr@reddit

I’m tired a lot and a 2 day weekend doesn’t do it for me. I went down to 4 days a week with less pay but really barely notice it. I would never go back to 5 days. 3 days would be the ideal sweet spot, but I think my work would be a lot less effective at 3 days, so I won’t push my luck.

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Intruder313@reddit

It should be the baseline for all - with no cut in wages

It made me MUCH happier and as Monday was a NWD I had an actual weekend off not 1 day and 1 day of dread

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kettlejuices@reddit

I'm 8:30am to 5:00pm with a 12:30 finish on Fridays, so I don't quite fit in, but it's amazing having all that extra time on a Friday to run errands without eating into my actual weekend.

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Low-Cauliflower-5686@reddit

Seems surprisingly common and most people like it. I have heard some businesses trialled it and it's not been a success. Anyone been in that situation?

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viking_tech@reddit

My wife is on 4 day week but pro rated wage. She loves it! Gets a mini break every Wednesday, and if she wants she can move it around instead of using holidays for long weekends.

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IntrepidMaybe8579@reddit

4 day is literally the perfect balance you actually feel free in life and perfectly happy with working, you feel free once your off and not like your trying to force yourself to sleep and prepare for the next week of torture

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Competitive_Rip_5802@reddit

Only if your four days are not squeezing in the same hours as 5 days. I tried it for a while and it was not conducive to family life with kids. Adding two extra hours to my workday and not seeing my kids during the weekdays was not the perfect balance at all.

My employer has now forced a 9 day fortnight on everyone, where we have every other Friday off, but have to work an extra hour every day to get it. I'd rather have that hour back as I'm now rushing to pick up kids from wraparound care which is costing me extra money.

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IntrepidMaybe8579@reddit

12 hours 4 days a week is the perfect amount

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StGuthlac2025@reddit

Worked really well for me and my family.

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Ginger__Viking@reddit

Since when did a 48hrs become a perfect work week over 39hrs?

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pbroingu@reddit

No it's not

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IntrepidMaybe8579@reddit

Yes than that is unrealistic and unproductive

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pbroingu@reddit

Do you own a factory or something? Or have acquired a taste for boots?

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IntrepidMaybe8579@reddit

If you actually work and can support yourself yes its the perfect amount otherwise your not contributing value or earning enough to live happily

Only with jobs that are per job basis should be able to work less like you have a quota to reach and not provide a constant service

The world cant split one person jobs in two and let you do half the job for the same pay.. itd be even worse for the good honest companies or family business, the only way it would work would be the extremely rich corporations who can afford to do that and then the divide between average and the 1%ers gets even worse

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D-1-S-C-0@reddit

40 hours condensed into 4 days is bullshit and goes against the whole point of a 4-day week.

Companies love to take a good idea and ruin it. They've done the same with "flexible working" post-COVID by making it rigid.

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StGuthlac2025@reddit

I did 4 on 4 off 12 hours shifts and it was amazing.

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redunculuspanda@reddit

My partner does this and it’s brutal. The “day off” ends up just being a recovery day. She is now looking to go part time. Either reduce hours or go 3 days because it’s just too much.

Unfortunately these stupid shifts seem to be normal in her industry.

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thegerbilmaster@reddit

Depends on your role lol.

Some people don't even work 40 hours. Variety of shift patterns out there.

Working an extra hour or so each day to get another day completely free of work is worth it.

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Send_bird_pics@reddit

Yup 8am-5:30 here 4 days/week. Love love it. Would never go back. Happy to switch my NWD around as long as I keep it. Every day has its benefits.

Monday = long weekend, I use it to meal prep. Tuesday = makes Mondays so bearable and you can work full pelt knowing you have a day off coming up. Wednesday = never work more than 2 days in a row Thursday = only have to pop a friday a/l in for a 4 day weekend! Friday = long weekend but actually my least fav day off!

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spellboundsilk92@reddit

Dropped a day earlier this year to do this and it’s brilliant. Weekends no longer feel like a rush to fit everything in.

Next plan is to get the mortgage paid off and go down to three.

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mitchybenny@reddit

We didn’t move to a 4 day week but I’ve been working 4 later shifts (Mon-Thurs) for a good few years and I don’t ever want to go back to working 5 days.

3 day weekend disappears so going back to a regular 2 day weekend sounds criminal

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JamesTiberious@reddit

From my understanding of the terminology, you’re talking about a ‘compressed’ working week. That is, you work full time equivalent hours (37.5-40 ish hours) but over longer shifts with 1 extra day off.

I have a few colleagues in my department that do this and they’re happy. It better fits their household/family needs.

My organisation (a branch of the NHS) have a policy of considering requests for this and I’m seriously considering it. I’d like to compressed to 9 days every 2 weeks, not the full 5 days into 4. They can have good operational needs to deny this, but they’d need to put that on record.

What I am more keen to see, especially during this period of AI boom and shortage of jobs, are organisations offering shorter weeks (fewer hours worked overall) for same pay. On the face of it, it can seem illogical, but many studies have shown that people are that much more efficient having more personal time. A full time equivalent becomes say 30-32.5hrs/week, spread over 4 days, same pay as before. I’ve not heard any convincing arguments why we all shouldn’t be pushing for this - I’m especially interested personally as I’m middle aged and would like to enjoy more of my free time before retirement in a climate where healthy life expectancy is dropping while pension claiming ages are rising.

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kineto21@reddit

In the NHS for calculating public holidays it is 7.5 hours, if you work it you get 7.5 hours back as time off, that won’t change if you’re doing more than 7.5, you still only get 7.5 not compensated for any extra hours.

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JamesTiberious@reddit

I honestly struggle to get my head around this!

If we’re talking about compressed time - I’d still be entitled to the same amount of hours off over a year. It just means I’d need to use slightly more than a days holiday to take a day off, right?

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kineto21@reddit

Yes that’s right, you also don’t get paid ph hour rate for any hours worked over 7.5

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Gtwizzlet@reddit

Interested to know if anyone who transitioned from 5 to 4 is from the corporate banking world? I would love 4 days but doesn’t seem socially acceptable in this industry. Even asking feels like it would be poorly received.

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CatsCoffeeCurls@reddit

4 on, 4 off is my preferred pattern. Could do without the going back and forth between days and nights, but having a run of weekdays off made life admin so much easier. Went to my first ever Mon-Fri 9-5 recently and absolutely hate it. Will stick it out for awhile to get the experience since it was a grade promotion, but don't intend on doing this ever again.

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tulki123@reddit

I work a 9 day fortnight which I think is perfect, so I get every other Friday off. I just work a longer Monday and Tuesday (which I was basically doing anyway). As quite a lot of us now do 9 days it means that Fridays are quiet as only half of us are in so I actually enjoy my Fridays now getting all my odd jobs done in quiet

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Obvious-Water569@reddit

I do 4 days a week with semi-compressed hours (we now do 4x9 instead of 5x8 meaning the company is giving us 4 hours off a week for free).

It's without a doubt the best perk I've had in my entire working life.

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thegerbilmaster@reddit

I've done 3x12s continentals. Then shifted to 5 days earlies and lates, hated it.

Currently doing 6-3 Monday to Thursday.

Its top notch. No nights (pretty common in my industry).

Some wanted to do 6-2 Mon Thurs and do 6-10 Friday, couldn't believe it.

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keeperrr@reddit

The last place i worked did this to me. I had to quit because i couldnt afford to lose the days pro rata pay. (I would refer to them as bastards, but it was ok while i was there - and onto greener fields now)

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cactusdan94@reddit

6am-4:30pm mon-thurs

Fridays are optional overtime.

Best thing the company ever did.

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Sylvester88@reddit

I did it for a year and it was great. I wake up early either way so starting at 7 was no issue to me.. it's not like I can do anything constructive between 7 and 9

Obviously having 3 days off a week is amazing

Only changed because my wife changed jobs and I have to do the school run

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Cultural_Tank_6947@reddit

Take it man, just take it.

Very early in my career, I worked in a manufacturing company and we used to have a 4.5 day week, where we finished at noon on Fridays.

That extra half day where I had time to myself was amazing. This was before I had kids, but my Mrs was still at work and I didn't necessarily spend every Friday doing extra errands. Really the only extra thing I did was the laundry.

I could relax for a while and decompress before the weekend kicked in and all the social obligations that usually entailed.

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Fwoggie2@reddit

Is it 4 on 4 off or 4 x 12 hours?

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jd4125@reddit (OP)

Updated the post. 7-5 Monday through Thursday

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Obaama@reddit

I moved from 5 days to 4 and although I took a pay cut it has been unbelievable. So much life admin gets done and the weekends seem to last ages. 10/10 would recommend

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Ninjataye@reddit

That's a fantastic schedule. Lots of 4 days usually add the extra hours on the end so 4 X 9-7pm for example which sucks

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Suspicious_Flower_0@reddit

Then you'd be crazy not to take it, that's basically perfect hours and days

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Casual_Star@reddit

I do 8-6, Monday-Thursday and sometimes I do Wednesday to Saturday. It’s brilliant, I love it but I am looking for a new job for more pay so will dread going back to 5 days.

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StatisticianUsual471@reddit

The 4 days suck but the weekend makes up for it

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00x77@reddit

I work 5 days and it's amazing

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Alasdair91@reddit

I did 32 hours across 4 days with full pay and loved it. Sadly now doing 37.5 over 5 days again but hey ho.

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DEADB33F@reddit

Do it, but see if they'll let you alternate between working mon-thurs one week then tues-fri the next.

...that way you get a four day weekend every other week.

I used to work this pattern and it means you can take a four night city break every other week if you wanted to without ever taking a single day's holiday (I used to use it to regularly go camping, visit friends/relatives etc).

So much better than a fixed four-day schedule.

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ilikecocktails@reddit

I could never do 5 days a week at work I would feel like I lived there. I’ve done 4 days for the last 5 years, prior to that I did 3 days.

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Russ1878@reddit

I used to work a 4 day week, I worked mon, thur, Fri and Sun. The days felt a little long at times but the days off midweek were class.

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-info-sec-@reddit

So, Thurs-Mon?

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Alpha_Wolf_Bitch_16@reddit

No, as they're off on Saturdays.

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Public-Temperature-1@reddit

Bite their hand off. It's amazing.

The only downside is the possibility of leaving my current employer and the thought of going back to 5 days.

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Miserable_Future6694@reddit

I think im one of the few that actually enjoy my job enough to say its absolutely my hobby.

Id do 7 if I thought id still have a family long term

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_Hoping_For_Better_@reddit

Nope. 4 days okay. 5 days hours in 4 days and a 7 am start, My evenings are worth more than the extra day.

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StatisticianOne8287@reddit

Honestly it’s been amazing, I do 8-5:30 mon-Thu. that 3 day weekend is so good, I got into running, and gardening and still has time for all the other stuff.

5 years now and I’ve said for a while I’d never give it up, but I handed my notice in last week. I’d jump at the chance again, but I want to move locations so don’t have a choice than to leave.

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beetrootfarmer@reddit

I do four day week but with normal hours, so total hours is less instead of adding hours on other days. I think this is the way it should be an evidence supports it as productive choice.

There's a campaign website for four day work week if you want to read a range or research and case studies. I absolutely love it, I get sick less, I get more rest and I have more time to enjoy my life. I can't see why anyone would be against it.

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DeadBallDescendant@reddit

I was nodding along to this then realised that I'm still on my laptop because I'm 'sort of' still working. Done about eight extra hours this week so I guess I'd never benefit from a four day week.

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beetrootfarmer@reddit

Don't do it. It's a trap. You don't gain anything by working overtime, you're replaceable and you deserve rest and time off. No job is worth working more than your contracted hours.

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Big_barney@reddit

Yep, I’ve never worked an hours overtime in my life and have been highly successful. Conversely I’ve worked with folks doing 12 hour days whilst delivering no value.

Extra hours does not make enhance your position in any way, nor does it make you more productive.

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DeadBallDescendant@reddit

True, and I could easily afford to walk out tomorrow, but I made a promise to the person who might get my job that I wouldn't leave until she was in a position where she ceased very likely to be offered it. I'm a superb human being.

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Overgrown_fetus1305@reddit

If it was 10-8, then probably, if I had wfh and no commute. 7am start though, absolutely not; even 9am is for me quite early with wfh, let alone without it.

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TheBigStiggg@reddit

I work 8-6 four days a week. Best decision I've made. My home life, work life and mood improved dramatically. Long weekend every weekend. Never burned out. I actually enjoy my job much more because I don't feel like I'm spending all my time working. It would honestly take like a £15-20k wage bump for me to even consider going back to 5 days.

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SunDriedFart@reddit

It’s fantastic. Frees up an additional day for OT so I generally do my mid week day off as OT and a day in the weekend. Easy way to add 50% onto my salary.

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VoyeurPea@reddit

I do compressed hours - 4 longer days, with Fridays off. I love it and don't ever want to work to days again. Even don't mind the extra hours. I do 8-6 with an hour lunch Mon-Weds, and 8-5 on Thursday's. I've saved so much annual by not booking Friday's which I can use elsewhere. It gives me a dedicated hour at the start and end of each day without my team / most of the rest of the business being around. I am far more productive because of it, because I don't feel as burnt out from doing 5 days.

I'd be up for doing 4 normal work days without a pay cut but to be honest, I'm so busy that I'm unsure I'd get everything done. My current pattern works well for me

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Odd_Championship7286@reddit

I used to love it! Worked 7am-6pm Monday to Thursday. One day to go to the bank/ post office/ shops while they’re open and before the crowds get there and still get a full weekend with everyone else! I also used to away so much more since you don’t need to take as many days off to get a decent length trip in. 3 or 4 days camping or down on the coast or a little city break. Was absolutely incredible! The only downside was that I’d put off doing things in the evenings because I’d be too tired and push everything until the weekend so the house was messier etc

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Diligent-Magazine781@reddit

I do 8-6, 4 days per week. Have done for years, and I love it. Am all about flexible working, so the people in my teams have free rein to do what they like, as long as the job gets done, on time, how I want it done, consistently.

Hardly rocket science. Don’t take the piss, and you can work to suit your personal needs, all the time. No time off needs to be booked for children’s nativity plays/school sports days/harvest festival yada yada.

Also operate a “break glass” system, as the jobs are fairly emotionally challenging. At any time, a staff member of any seniority can do a “break glass”, give their line manager the heads up, and dial out for a few hours/the remainder of the day. No questions asked.

Productivity is good, performance is good. Our sickness levels are through the floor, and our turnover is virtually nil.

(Apols, I know I’ve digressed from the core question, but thought it pertinent to also explain how flexible working can be, given the right arena and the right people (our staff, not me obvs)👍

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04housemat@reddit

It’s the dog’s danglies mate. Only reason I’m in the same job. I’d want a 30% pay rise to go back to 5 days.

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Jumpy-Jello-@reddit

Used to do four days on, three days off, 10h shifts. It was great.

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Organic-Violinist223@reddit

I would love it, if it came woth reduced responsibility snd workload which my profession won't agree too! Academia is the only profession where you get given work and not paid for it!

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careful_hot_stove@reddit

i love it. we get thursdays off and i beat my raisin literally all day long. I come in to work on friday and its always so sore 😂

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Purp1eMagpie@reddit

Those are basically the hours I used to do before changing jobs (0700-1645 Mon-Thurs). Absolutely loved it. One less night of "fuck sake, work tomorrow) is worth a lot.

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xml3228@reddit

Yes worth it

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DeepVeridian@reddit

4 days a week is definitely worth it. I work 4 days a week 7-5. Our day off rotates every week so once a month we get a long weekend. Friday through to monday.

I also work overtime on some of my week days off for time and a half which is a nice option to have.

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ExcitingCriticism524@reddit

It’s great. I do Monday - Thursday 6.45 till 4.15, half hour dinner.

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sucksblueeggs@reddit

I do two long days and two short days. The extra day off is great. I’ve been going in five days the last couple of weeks as we have some new equipment and I’ve felt the difference. Looking forward to reverting next week

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JennyW93@reddit

I do 7-5 Mon-Thurs, and mostly WFH. Honestly, it’s the dream. On busier weeks I will be pretty wiped out by the end of Thursday, but I’m more than rested again by Monday.

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keblin86@reddit

I wish it was 3 lol

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Roofless_@reddit

Considering asking my company to do compressed hours for a 4 day working week.

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ahtfbjkgrfh456@reddit

I do 4 days compressed 0730-1645 and it’s changed my life. The extra day means everything!! You can have longer weekends and travel further, a day by yourself, a day of admin, whatever you want. However, in my company it’s not guaranteed so any future role I may have to go back to 5 days which will suck. Go for it.

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Affectionate_You_858@reddit

I would crawl over broken glass for that

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AfternoonLines@reddit

I did 4 day weeks for about 3 years and it was honestly best work time ever. I'd do it again without a second thought if that was an option, even for less money.

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Fine_Cress_649@reddit

GP. I do 4 days 9-5 which usually turns into 8-6 with CPD stuff on top. Barely coping as it is, definitely would not cope doing 5 days

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p4cman911@reddit

I miss the 4 day week so much. really frees up your weekends or lets you do stuff when, say, a tourist attraction is quiet

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Reallyboringname2@reddit

I can’t tell you before my boss knows about it.

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Fair_Condition_1460@reddit

100% worth it, especially those weeks you book a day of annual leave, they fly by. No time wasted on half-ass Fridays and slow Monday starts - you've got 4 days and a mission. I often hit my hours 3/3.5 days in and then shut the laptop, so weeks feel symmetrical. Half on, half off, and proper time off, not a spoiled Friday, recovery Saturday, dread Sunday.

The BEST thing is, I mean, if you want you can (likely) revert to 5 x 8h on whichever week? So why not train colleagues and employer as to which day is your day off, and then within reason, suit yourself. Bonus - people stop filling your calendar with meetings on your day off. So when you work it instead, you have a clear schedule.

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