A study published in Nature's Humanities and Social Sciences Communications journal tracked 15 Australian companies testing the 100:80:100 work model between 2022 and 2024. Researchers led by Professor John Hopkins of Deakin University found that 14 of 15 firms continued the four-day week after trials ended, with six reporting increased productivity and none experiencing declines.

The research allowed each company to define productivity on their own terms, measuring metrics like revenue, project completion rates, staff turnover, and customer satisfaction scores. This flexible approach captured industry-specific success factors rather than imposing uniform benchmarks. Six companies explicitly cited reducing burnout as their primary motivation, reflecting broader workplace mental health concerns affecting one in two Australian workers.

The 100:80:100 model forces organizations to eliminate unnecessary meetings, automate repetitive tasks, and focus on high-value work rather than cramming five days into four. Client-facing businesses staggered days off to maintain coverage, while knowledge workers restructured workflows before implementation. These adaptations explain why productivity fears often prove unfounded.

The findings align with similar trials in Germany and the UK, where companies maintained output while reducing hours. As AI automates routine tasks, the question becomes what workers do with productivity gains. The evidence suggests reclaiming time through reduced burnout and improved work quality, not simply adding more tasks to already full schedules.