Over half of professionals in Japan believe four-day workweeks would boost productivity
TOKYO, JAPAN - 03.06.2025 Hays, the world's leading recruitment and workforce solutions specialist, polled working professionals on LinkedIn across five locations in Asia including Japan, China, Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia and Singapore. Respondents were asked to weigh in on their sense of productivity in four-day workweek.
The findings reveal strong support for the model in Japan, where 54 per cent of respondents believe they would be more focused if required to complete their tasks within a four-day timeframe. China led the region, with 73 per cent of professionals expressing confidence in their ability to maintain focus and productivity under a shorter workweek model, followed by Hong Kong (69 per cent) and Malaysia (65 per cent).
“The idea of a four-day workweek is resonating with professionals who are seeking greater efficiency and focus in their work,” said Grant Torrens, Managing Director at Hays Japan. “This is relevant in Japan, where 44 per cent of professionals polled in the Hays Asia Salary Guide indicated they are dissatisfied with their current work-life balance.”
Resistance to the concept was minimal, with only nine per cent of respondents expressing concern that the workload would be too heavy for a shortened week. Meanwhile, two per cent indicated that the change would have little impact due to already having flexible schedules, and 35 per cent said their performance would depend on the nature of their role.
Shorter workweeks linked to greater job satisfaction and productivity.
The concept of offering professionals an additional day of rest within the standard workweek continues to gain traction globally. A pilot study in the United Kingdom demonstrated that participants in a reduced workweek reported fewer absences and lower turnover, outcomes closely linked to improved work-life balance. In Japan, a four-day workweek was first proposed by the government in 2021, and some local governments — including Chiba Prefecture — began adopting the system in fiscal year 2024.
“In Japan, promoting employee wellbeing through improved work-life balance has proven beneficial for both retention and recruitment. Today, 35 per cent of professionals consider these initiatives when exploring new career opportunities, and 40 per cent have chosen to stay with their current employer because of the work-life balance offered ,” said Grant.
Beyond boosting employee productivity, shorter workweeks also help reduce operating costs, allowing organisations committed to remaining closed one extra day a week to save on utilities and other overheads. These efficiencies contribute meaningfully to Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) goals—by lowering carbon emissions, supporting employee wellbeing, and reinforcing a company’s commitment to sustainable and socially responsible business practices.
Uprooting a tradition of work culture
Despite the growing interest in shorter workweeks, it remains unclear how many organisations have formally adopted the four-day model. The traditional five-day workweek continues to be the global norm, but signs of change are emerging.
“While adoption of the four-day workweek remains limited among companies in Japan, the Tokyo government has begun to lead by example,” said Grant. “In April, it rolled out the initiative for government employees, along with new flexible work policies for parents of young children to help tackle longstanding issues linked to unhealthy work habits .”
“With increasing data highlighting the benefits of four-day workweeks, attention is turning to how businesses can adopt this model in a sustainable way. The key will be developing a well-defined strategy that supports this shift while maintaining competitiveness in a fast-changing job market,” said Grant.
About Hays Japan
Hays Specialist Recruitment Japan KK ("Hays Japan"), established in Tokyo in 2001, is one of the largest foreign recruitment companies in Japan with three offices across the country (Tokyo Head Office, Osaka and Yokohama).
At Hays Japan, our experts provide professional services across the private sector, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles, recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), Managed Service Programmes (MSP) and IT solutions in the following 13 specialisms: Accountancy & Finance, Banking & Financial Services, Engineering, Marketing & Digital, Human Resources, Insurance, Legal, Life Sciences, Office Professionals, Property, Sales & Marketing, Supply Chain and Technology. This ensures a highly focused, fully tailored specialist recruitment service, enabling us to power the future of work by serving thousands of companies and candidates in Japan. Hays Japan is recognised as a Great Place to Work® by the esteemed Great Place to Work® Institute Japan, the global authority on workplace culture. We continue to strengthen our position in Asia with the world-leading ISO 9001:2015 certification in all our operational markets including Japan, China, Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.
About Hays
Hays plc (the "Group") is the world’s leading specialist in workforce solutions and recruitment, such as RPO and MSP. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional, and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK, Germany, and Australia and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As of 31 December 2024, the Group employed over 10,300 staff operating from 225 offices in 33 countries. For the year ended 30 June 2024:
• the Group reported net fees of £1,113.6 million and operating profit of £105.1 million.
• the Group placed around 57,700 candidates into permanent jobs and around 225,000 people into temporary roles.
• 13% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 32% in Germany, 20% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 35% in Rest of World (RoW).
• the temporary placement business represented 59% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 41% of net fees.
• Technology is the Group’s largest division, with 25% of net fees, while Accountancy & Finance (15%) and Engineering (11%), are the next largest.
• Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE, the UK, and the USA.
• the Group placed around 57,700 candidates into permanent jobs and around 225,000 people into temporary roles.
• 13% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 32% in Germany, 20% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 35% in Rest of World (RoW).
• the temporary placement business represented 59% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 41% of net fees.
• Technology is the Group’s largest division, with 25% of net fees, while Accountancy & Finance (15%) and Engineering (11%), are the next largest.
• Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE, the UK, and the USA.