Bizay decided a four-day week was worth trialling; here's what it found

Bizay, a Lisbon-HQed company merchandise design platform, says a trial run across its team of a four-day working week didn't negatively impact productivity and quality of work.

Following the trial, most of its 200-employee workforce said a significant pay increase would be needed to return to five days.

Around 75% of employees apparently said they'd want incentivised by a salary hike of 30% to restore normal working patterns. Surprisingly, the data indicates a 16% rise in absenteeism despite the generous shift scheduling, though stress levels dropped 4% due to the reduced week.

A four-day week will always divide the room and Bizay says it's releasing the data to promote transparency regarding its approach.

Proponents could pick figures to support their argument; talent recruitment was substantially boosted with 300% more applications to Bizay's job openings than had been the case. More staff also stayed with the company, with 36% fewer employees departing year/year.

Around 98% of the workforce elected to take advantage of the four-day system. Since the programme started in October 2022, around 87% say they've taken "full usage" of the extra day off.

Bizay co-founder and chief growth officer Jose Salgado said: "The first set of results aligns with our initial positive expectations when we invested in this pioneering model. 

"The research shows no negative impact on productivity levels or quality of work, and we’re delighted how much this model has improved the lives and happiness of our employees. 

"We’ve seen first-hand how attractive the four-day week is for both current employees at Bizay, as well as prospective candidates. We’re delighted to be paving the way for a new approach to the work/life balance, and creating a workplace which is progressive and responsive to employees’ needs.”