As the demand for a healthier work-life balance continues to grow, an increasing number of UK organisations have embraced the four-day workweek model. According to the latest figures from the 4 Day Week Foundation, more than 1,400 workers across 53 newly accredited businesses have transitioned to this innovative approach in 2025.
The newly certified employers span a diverse range of industries, including business, consulting, management, charities, technology, retail, housing, engineering, marketing, arts and entertainment, manufacturing, gaming, recruitment, heritage, healthcare, and education. London has seen the highest number of these new accreditations, with Scotland and the North West also showing significant adoption.
Joe Ryle, campaign director for the foundation, emphasised that UK employers no longer face any practical barriers to making the shift. “These companies are proving that there is nothing stopping organisations in the UK from moving to a four-day week,” he said. “Across virtually every sector and region, employers are showing that shorter working weeks boost productivity, improve wellbeing and help attract and retain talent – all without cutting pay.”
The foundation’s latest data reveals that the total number of employees now benefiting from this model stands at over 6,000 across 253 accredited businesses. This marks a significant increase from the previous year, as researchers in the US found that the four-day workweek can help workers protect their mental health.
A team at Boston College conducted a landmark study, which involved more than 100 companies and nearly 2,900 workers in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and Ireland. The study found that the shift to a four-day week was associated with a high level of satisfaction among both employers and employees, as well as improvements in productivity, revenue growth, physical and mental health, and reduced stress and burnout.
One of the key factors contributing to the maintained productivity, according to the employees’ assessment, is that companies have decreased or cut activities with questionable or low value, including meetings. Instead, meetings have been replaced with phone calls and conversations via messaging apps.
Another crucial factor is that employees have been able to use their third day off for personal errands and appointments, which they might have otherwise tried to squeeze into a regular workday.
As the benefits of the four-day workweek become increasingly evident, the question is no longer whether it works, but how quickly other organisations will follow suit in embracing this transformative approach to work-life balance.
