A 4-Day Workweek? Microsoft Tested It And Productivity Increased 40%

The company’s Japan offices
closed every Friday in August 2019,
during a summer program called
the “Work Life Choice Challenge.” Managers also encouraged employees to limit time spent in meetings and responding to emails. Compared to the same period
of the previous year, productivity,
which was measured by sales per
employee, increased by 40%. In addition to boosted productivity,
the company was able to save on
other resources, particularly electricity. Microsoft plans to conduct another
experiment in Japan later in an effort
to improve work-life
balance and efficiency.