Can a 4-Day Working Week Maintain Productivity in the AI Era?

As artificial intelligence reshapes the modern workplace, employers face a defining choice. Will AI simply make work faster and cheaper — or will it make work more efficient and effective?

AI is not just another tool for efficiency. It is a profound shift in how value is created, who creates it, and how human potential is used. The question is not whether AI will change the nature of work — it already has and will continue to do so. The real question is whether our working patterns will evolve alongside it and what that evolution will look like.

From automation to augmentation

For decades, automation has replaced manual and repetitive tasks. AI now extends that reach to knowledge work — drafting reports, analysing data, managing workflows, even making hiring decisions.

This acceleration means many employees can now achieve in four days what once took five. But most workplaces still cling to 20th-century schedules and productivity metrics, expecting the same hours and intensity regardless of technological progress, increasing pressure on workers.

If AI can handle more of the routine, should we be rethinking how much time people must spend at work?

The benefits of fewer hours to an organisation

The business case for fewer hours: productivity and efficiency

Employers who have trialled shorter working weeks — such as Atom Bank, Baker Consultants and South Cambridgeshire Council — have reported consistent gains in productivity, engagement, and retention:

• Productivity per hour increases as employees work with greater focus and fewer distractions.
• Absenteeism and turnover drop, saving recruitment and training costs.
• Employer brand strength grows, attracting top talent in a competitive market.
• Wellbeing and creativity improve, directly supporting innovation.

In other words, fewer hours do not necessarily mean less output — they can mean better output.

As AI boosts efficiency, forward-looking organisations may choose to reinvest that efficiency not only in profit margins but also in human sustainability.

The moral case for fewer hours: enhanced equity and sustainability

There is also a moral dimension. Without conscious redistribution, the gains from AI risk concentrating in the hands of a few. Shorter working weeks are one way to share the benefits more equitably — allowing all employees to gain time, flexibility, and dignity from technological progress, leading to a shared improvement in quality of life.

A shorter, standardised working week helps support caregivers, part-timers, and those balancing education or health needs and enables more diverse candidates to progress into senior roles.

Reducing the working week allows employers to spread work across more people instead of reducing headcount. This approach:

• Reduces unemployment and underemployment.
• Keeps skills circulating in the economy.
• Ensures more people have stable, meaningful work.

Further, equitable time distribution aligns with broader sustainability principles:

• Employees with balanced lives are healthier and more productive.
• More free time supports community engagement, volunteering and civic life.
• Reduced commuting and consumption can lower carbon emissions.

How to transition to reduced working hours

Transitioning to reduced hours does not mean flipping a switch overnight. The most successful implementations follow a data-driven, experimental approach:

1. Map where AI is adding measurable efficiency: Identify which tasks have been accelerated by the use of AI, such as in administrative, analytical, or communication tasks.
2. Redesign roles around outcomes: Measure impact on what matters most to customers and teams  rather than hours.
3. Pilot shorter work weeks or flexible-hour arrangements: Start with specific teams or departments.
4. Measure performance: Track productivity, wellbeing, and retention across both pilot and control groups.
5. Communicate transparently: Ensure employment are clear on the purpose and benefits of changes to the working week. This is a shared evolution, not a top-down decree.
6. Ensure legal compliance: Comply with employment law by ensuring comprehensive consultation and, where reduced hours become permanent, updating contracts of employment.

Employers who engage staff openly and align changes with purpose and wellbeing will see the greatest loyalty and performance dividends.

Sustainable productivity for the AI era

AI is not just transforming tasks; it is transforming what it means to work. As routine labour declines and creative problem-solving rises, time itself becomes a strategic asset.

The world of work must evolve with the continued growth in the use of AI. The key question is how employers manage that evolution to ensure sustainable productivity within the workforce.

Employers who recognise this challenge and adapt early will lead not only in innovation but also in culture, reputation, and resilience.