Stronger by Working Less: Lessons From the Scandinavien 4 Day Week

The world of work is changing. The latest pilot study from Sweden and Norway demonstrates how the 4 day week improves health and boosts efficiency through Smart Working methods 2026. At its core is the 100:80:100 model. It guarantees full pay for reduced working hours and consistent performance.

The success of the pilot projects is largely based on using Design Thinking to radically rethink work processes. In practice, this meant a consistent elimination of low-value activities, so-called pseudo-work, for the participating companies. Instead, teams relied on time blocking and clearly defined focus times.

The case studies at the end of the report are particularly insightful. An IT consulting firm reduced internal meetings by 50 percent. These were replaced by asynchronous communication. Employees thus gained valuable time for complex tasks. Another example from the healthcare sector shows how optimized handover protocols not only saved time but also reduced error rates.

The results speak for themselves: mental health stabilized, while subjective productivity increased by 13 percent. Smart Working Methods 2026 are no longer a distant trend but a proven tool for forward-thinking companies. Successfully implementing a 4 day week requires changing how work is done, not just the calendar.

As a partner for Austria and Switzerland, Hailperin Beratung also conducts active research in this field. We support companies in every step of reducing working hours. For Switzerland, please visit www.4-tagewoche.ch, and for Austria, visit www.4-tagewoche.at.