Germany 4 Day Week Trial Results

Germany’s 4 Day Week Group Trial

In September 2023, 4 Day Week Global began recruiting organisations in Germany interested in a group trial of the 4 day work week. In collaboration with consultancy Intraprenör and the University of Münster, this trial would become the first of it’s kind in Germany.

Following similar studies in the UK, South Africa, and the USA, the German trial explored the impact of work time reduction on productivity, employer attractiveness, work-life balance, and employee health across 45 organisations from diverse sectors.

Initial findings showed stable key financial indicators alongside improvements in life satisfaction, sleep, physical activity, and employer attractiveness. Many organizations implemented more conservative or adapted versions of work time reduction rather than the classic 100:80:100™ model, and in nearly 40% of cases the pilot was introduced within selected teams rather than organisation-wide.

A two-year follow-up study, published February 2026, demonstrates sustained momentum: 70% of participating organisations continue with some form of reduced working time, while 22% have further adapted their original reduced hours model to increase operational flexibility. Organizations report ongoing gains in innovation, employee retention, employer attractiveness, and work-life balance. At the same time, economic volatility and workload peaks remain key challenges, highlighting that long-term success depends less on a fixed 4-day week format and more on an organization's ability to redesign work in response to real-world conditions.