How AI can support the four-day work week, and other trends in jobs and skills this month

The five-day working week once seemed unthinkable – until business leaders proved the economics.

In 1926, Henry Ford adopted the eight-hour weekday and two-day weekend model after finding that shorter hours improved productivity.

In 2023, public conversation about a four-day work week reached its peak, with more companies than ever rolling out trials. Two years later, is the four-day work week within grasp for all? And what role might AI play in making it a reality?

The four-day work week refers to global experiments that reduce hours without reducing pay. The most common model, known as the 100:80:100 principle, promises 100% pay for 80% of the time while maintaining 100% output, according to 4 Day Week Global.

After global pilots in 2022–2023 drew headlines, momentum slowed. Yet in 2025, calls for shorter working hours remain strong: more than 2.7 million UK workers – almost 11% of the workforce – now report working a four-day week. Meanwhile, Mexican unions marched for a 40-hour cap on International Workers’ Day this year, and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions formally debated a four-day policy back in July.

And now, a new catalyst is emerging. Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) could give shorter weeks the productivity lift they need to move from niche to norm. But first, what does the current landscape look like?

Since 2019, trials in more than 10 countries have been coordinated by the 4 Day Week Global, and the results are hard to ignore: 92% of participating companies kept the policy, citing lower stress, reduced sick leave and stable or higher revenues.

This shift to reduced working hours, with no change in pay, is playing out in both private sector companies and at the governmental level. Here's a snapshot from across the globe:

Microsoft Japan recorded a 40% productivity gain in a 2019 pilot that closed offices on Fridays and halved meeting times – and they continue to offer this to their employees to this day, reports SAP.

Social media management platform Buffer is one of the few fully remote companies to offer a four-day work week, citing that productivity increased by 22%, job applications rose 88%, and absenteeism decreased by 66% as a result of the switch.

Governments are testing it too. Iceland’s public-sector trials helped secure widespread rights to shorter hours. Dubai’s government reported employee satisfaction near 98% in its pilot, extending the four-day trial over the summer period for government employees. Tokyo implemented a four-day working week option earlier this year to encourage women's workforce participation.

The pattern is clear: productivity holds steady, wellbeing improves and talent attraction rises, but only when the rollout is deliberate.

Companies that simply “lopped off” a day often struggled. Bolt, for example, reversed its policy this year, citing gaps in execution, and UK hosting firm Krystal ended its trial after service backlogs.

While the momentum for a four-day work week is in flux, AI is rapidly reshaping the productivity equation.

Access to generative AI can significantly increase output and reduce drudge work, especially for less-experienced employees. Firms such as Omega Healthcare already report tens of thousands of hours saved through AI-driven automation.

A recent study from the OECD found that individuals who work in customer support, software development or consulting have seen productivity levels increase from anywhere between 5%-25%. Further to this, McKinsey research puts the long-term AI opportunity at $4.4 trillion in added productivity growth.

The convergence of these movements creates a rare opportunity.

Organizations that deliberately integrate AI into redesigned processes could lock in time savings and channel them into shorter schedules rather than simply producing more. Governments, too, have incentives, such as higher participation rates, lower social unrest and improved public health.

But the lesson from the past decade is that neither AI nor a shorter week succeeds through technology alone. The UK’s landmark trial built in two months of preparation with coaching and peer support prior to launching. If implemented thoughtfully, AI could provide the efficiency dividend that can fund a day off without sacrificing results.

Turnover, burnout and sick leave are costly for employers worldwide.

A well-executed four-day schedule can cut those costs while protecting performance, while AI offers the chance to translate technological progress into human benefit. But, doing so will require intentional leadership, clear metrics and a willingness to redesign how work gets done.

A growing number of young Americans are choosing skilled trades over college as AI reshapes white-collar work. Rising tuition costs and concerns about automation are driving Gen Z towards blue-collar careers, with surveys showing 77% value jobs that are hard to automate.

The US H-1B visa fee increase is prompting skilled workers to consider alternatives abroad. Europe, the UK and the Middle East are positioning themselves as attractive options, such as work-life balance and streamlined visa policies.

The UK government is pushing for an 'ambitious' youth mobility scheme with the EU, allowing thousands of young Europeans to live and work temporarily in the UK, and vice versa.

With the US government shutdown taking effect on 1 October, the White House warns of potential layoffs, with federal agencies preparing for staff cuts.