Pilot Program Reveals Benefits of Four-Day Work Week

The nonprofit 4 Day Week Global conducted a sixmonth pilot of more than 2,900 workers from 61 companies in the United Kingdom from June to December 2022 in which the work week was reduced from a standard 40 hours to 32 hours for the same pay and benefits. At the end of the six-month trial, 39 percent of employees reported less stress and 71 percent expressed lower levels of burnout. Anxiety, fatigue and sleep issues also decreased, while mental and physical health improved. Sixty percent found a greater ability to balance work with home-based responsibilities, and 62 percent found it easier to balance work with social life. Employees were also more satisfied with their finances, relationships and time management.

Company revenue stayed broadly the same over the trial period, rising by 1.4 percent on average. Companies also saw improvements in hiring, absenteeism and resignations, with staff turnover dropping by 57 percent over the trial period. Additionally, 63 percent of businesses offering a four-day week found it easier to attract and retain new talent.

Seniors Want Fewer Prescriptions

be willing to stop taking one or more drugs if their healthcare provider said it was possible, and 26 percent had already stopped taking at least one drug they had been taking for more than a year. When asked which meds they would be most interested in stopping, 43 percent named their heart disease pills for high blood pressure or high cholesterol, 13 percent mentioned diabetes medicines and 10 percent included pain management prescriptions.

In a new National Poll on Healthy Aging by the University of Michigan involving adults aged 50 to 80, the vast majority of respondents expressed an interest in cutting back on prescription medications. Eighty percent would

These results reflect a growing trend dubbed “deprescribing”. According to Deprescribing.org, a researcher-led online resource, it is the planned process of reducing or stopping medications that may no longer be of benefit or could be causing harm. The goal is to reduce medication burden or harm while improving quality of life. Seniors interested in cutting down on the drugs they are taking should consult their healthcare provider to ensure it is safe and helpful to do so.