Fewer employees want to work a four-day week now than before the Covid pandemic, says research
Summary
New research from Chloe Dixon at the University of Southampton analysed Labour Force Survey data covering 30,335 UK respondents from 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023, plus 21 follow-up interviews. Contrary to the idea that Covid sparked a lasting appetite for much shorter working weeks, the share of people wanting to reduce hours fell after the pandemic.
Key findings: the proportion wanting to cut hours dropped from 44.6% pre-Covid to 39.1% post-Covid (a fall of 5.5 percentage points, about 12% relatively). Of those who wanted fewer hours in 2022–23, roughly two-thirds would only consider it if full pay was maintained; one-third were willing to accept a pay cut.
Key Points
- The overall preference for shorter hours declined after Covid: 44.6% (2018–19) → 39.1% (2022–23).
- Money matters: two-thirds of post-Covid respondents wanting fewer hours insisted on maintaining full pay; loss of income is the main barrier.
- Younger adults (18–24) are least likely to want reduced hours (~25%), while older age groups (40–44 and 55–59) show much higher interest (around 40–45%).
- Managers and higher earners are more likely to favour shorter hours than other workers.
- Women show greater interest in fewer hours (45%) than men (40%), likely reflecting domestic and childcare pressures.
- Those with degrees are more open to shorter hours (44%) than those without qualifications (34%).
- Interviews revealed a stronger interest in reduced hours than surveys, but financial insecurity and the cost-of-living/job-market context post-Covid have dampened practical willingness to cut hours.
Context and relevance
This study challenges a common narrative that Covid permanently shifted worker priorities towards much shorter weeks. Instead, it highlights how broader economic pressures—cost-of-living rises, perceived job insecurity—can reverse appetite for reduced hours unless pay is protected. The findings matter for HR, reward strategy and flexible-working policy design: offering reduced hours without clear pay models is unlikely to gain wide uptake.
Author note
Punchy: this is solid, evidence-based work from a PhD analysis of Labour Force Survey data. If you design working-time policies or set flexible-working strategy, the detail here should influence whether you offer reduced hours as a paid option or a pay-cut trade-off.
Why should I read this?
Quick and useful: if you manage people or shape HR policy, this saves you time — workers’ enthusiasm for a four-day or shorter week has cooled and money is the sticking point. Read this so you don’t waste energy pushing a reduced-hours policy that employees can’t afford to take up.
