73% of German companies refuse to return to five-day workweek after nationwide trial
Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist
Germany has completed one of its largest workplace experiments in recent history, and the results challenge traditional assumptions about productivity and working hours. After a nationwide trial of the four-day workweek, 73% of participating companies have decided they won't return to the conventional five-day schedule.
The trial, launched at the end of 2023, drew participation from businesses of all sizes across multiple sectors. Companies in manufacturing, insurance, technology, media, retail, and education all took part. This broad representation makes the findings particularly relevant for the entire German economy, a nation long viewed as a model of rigor and productivity.
How Germany Tested the Four-Day Model
The German experiment followed what's known as the "100-80-100" model: employees receive 100% of their salary for 80% of the work time while maintaining 100% of their output. This framework, promoted by the organization 4 Day Week Global, has already been tested in other countries including the United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal.
The trial ran in two distinct phases over twelve months. During the first six months, companies analyzed and optimized their work processes. The second phase implemented the actual four-day workweek, reducing standard working time by 20%.
Implementation varied widely among participants. Some companies closed offices entirely on Fridays. Others created rotating schedules where team members took different days off, maintaining continuous operations. A few adopted a 4.5-day week by proportionally extending public holidays. This flexibility allowed each business to find an arrangement that matched its specific needs.
Productivity Held Steady Despite Fewer Hours
The question of productivity dominated concerns before the trial began. The results proved reassuring. Output remained stable across most companies, and some even reported slight increases.
Those gains came from targeted process improvements. Sixty percent of participating companies reduced both the frequency and duration of meetings. Another 25% integrated new digital tools to boost efficiency. Employees reported feeling more productive, and their work pace improved despite perceiving a lower workload thanks to these optimizations.
The findings suggest that reducing work time can actually sharpen focus and concentration, leading to better use of available hours. This pattern mirrors results from similar experiments conducted in other nations.
Employee Well-Being Saw Dramatic Improvements
Beyond the spreadsheets and output metrics, the human impact of the trial stood out. Half of all employees reported a significant improvement in their well-being. Another 44% noted at least a slight improvement.
The changes extended into personal health habits. Employees slept an average of 38 additional minutes per week and increased their physical activity. Stress levels dropped while motivation climbed. These improvements translated into tangible business benefits: employee retention rates rose by eight percentage points.
The well-being gains point to improved work-life balance, a factor that appears increasingly central to how German workers evaluate their jobs.
What Happens Next for German Businesses
Of the 73% of companies refusing to return to five days, most plan to continue exactly as they are. Another 20% are considering minor adjustments to their four-day model. Only 20% want to revert to the traditional schedule, while 7% remain undecided.
The powerful employer association BDA has responded cautiously. While not endorsing a universal reduction in work time, the organization emphasized the importance of the flexibility and process optimization demonstrated during the trial. BDA suggested that companies and employees should negotiate solutions tailored to individual circumstances rather than adopting blanket policies.
This approach opens pathways for more flexible work models that respect the balance between professional demands and personal life, without mandating a single solution across all sectors.
Germany's large-scale trial adds substantial evidence to a growing body of research suggesting that the relationship between hours worked and value created is not linear. The experiment demonstrates that when given the structure to work differently, both businesses and employees can thrive with less time at the office. What once seemed like an idealistic vision now appears as a practical alternative backed by data from one of Europe's most productivity-focused economies.
