Norway’s Early Quitting Culture Spurs Push for Four-Day Workweek Among Gen Z

In an unprecedented six-month experiment across Norway and Sweden, companies that reduced their workweek by 20% while maintaining full salaries successfully sustained overall productivity, according to new insights published by The Rework and the nonprofit group 4 Day Week Global. Karlstad University researchers supervised data collection to ensure accuracy.

The initiative followed the “100-80-100” strategy: employees retained their full pay while reducing their working hours to 80% of previous levels. Organizations were expected to meet existing productivity benchmarks. The approach did not enforce a uniform four-day week; some opted for a condensed six-hour day, while others arranged a traditional four-day schedule, tailoring the 20% reduction to their operational needs.

Led by Sarah Uldal, The Rework’s founder, the Norwegian segment partnered exclusively with 4 Day Week Global. Companies engaged in thorough planning starting in late 2024, receiving coaching on streamlining workflows, minimizing inefficient meetings, and redesigning weekly routines to avoid simply compressing five workdays into fewer hours.

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Mental Health Concerns Propel Employer Engagement

Norwegian employers joined the trial amid mounting mental health challenges in the workplace. Data from the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration revealed mental health issues resulted in over 2.2 million lost workdays during the last quarter of 2024, constituting a quarter of all certified sick leaves nationwide.

Mental health issues caused 2.2 million lost work days in late 2024, driving employer interest in testing shorter schedules. Image credit: Shuttersotck

Additionally, The Rework’s surveys found that nearly one-third of Norwegian employees felt their jobs regularly interfered with their personal lives, and 27% had contemplated resigning to achieve a better work-life balance. These sentiments motivated the eleven companies that ultimately joined the pilot.

Norway’s Work Tradition Offers a Unique Starting Point

Unlike many countries, Norway already boasts comparatively short workdays, with most office workers finishing between 3 PM and 4 PM. Though legally the workweek spans 40 hours, actual averages are closer to 33 hours per week.

Norwegian offices already average 33 hours weekly with 3 PM departures. Image credit: Shuttersotck

This environment prompted researchers to ask whether further reducing hours in a culture that prioritizes early finishes could still enhance employee well-being and retention, or if Norway had already realized most potential benefits. The experiment was designed to assess the 100-80-100 framework within a high-trust, autonomous work setting.

Global Insights Adapted to Nordic Conditions

4 Day Week Global has overseen trials in over 20 countries, involving more than 450 companies and 8,500 employees. The Nordic pilot was a collaboration between this global nonprofit and The Rework.

Sweden’s Karlstad University, led by Lena Lid Falkman, conducted academic monitoring, measuring productivity, employee well-being, sickness absences, and turnover rates. The research paralleled earlier studies in Ireland, Australia, the US, and the UK.

Karlstad University researchers oversaw the Nordic pilot using 4 Day Week Global’s model tested in 20-plus countries. Image credit: Shuttersotck

These results emerge amid growing European interest in reduced work hours. Iceland’s trials paved the way for widespread shorter-hour contracts, Spain supports regional pilot programs, and Belgium now allows employees to compress workweeks by extending daily hours.

Critics Highlight Broader Economic Challenges

While the pilot’s outcomes appear positive, some commentators remind that young Norwegians grapple with soaring housing prices that have doubled since the COVID-19 outbreak, coupled with increased fuel taxes and tax rates nearing 60% of income.

The study focused solely on company-level results, not addressing larger economic issues or housing affordability. Its scope was limited to productivity, employee health, and retention within participant organizations.

Accessing the Program for Businesses

Organizations eager to experiment with reduced hours can enroll in The Rework Programmet, a digital course providing seven free foundational lessons discussing shortened workweeks and related studies. Following this introduction, six workshop modules guide businesses through measuring KPIs, eliminating inefficiencies, organizing meetings effectively, and planning new weekly schedules.

This flexible program allows firms to proceed at their own speed without committing to formal pilot participation, helping those interested in exploring productivity gains from shorter work hours.