Once upon a time, workplace perks meant having ping-pong tables in the office, corporate pizza lunches, and very colorful beanbag chairs. Now, the most coveted perk has shifted to be time itself—from the implementation of summer Fridays, to hybrid work models, unlimited PTO, and most notably, four-day workweeks. After years of being overworked and unimpressed by quirky office perks, young workers have made it clear they’re after fixes that actually chip away at issues like burnout and work-life balance. And shockingly, some companies are already starting to listen.
What once passively lingered in my mid-workday daydreams is now becoming a reality—and studies are proving it. In fact, researchers conducted the largest study of the four-day workweek to date, with results finding a significant boost in job satisfaction and both mental and physical health.
A real shift is happening. And even though this trend has yet to evolve into an industry standard, the fact that these jobs exist in 2026 is wildly motivating. And the best part? There are jobs available. So, if you’ve been experiencing burnout, feeling overwhelmed, or wanting to reclaim a little more of your own time in your life, it might be time to find a job with a four-day workweek.
Ahead, we’ve rounded up the jobs that often operate on 4-day or 32-hour workweeks, the companies offering them, where to find a job with a 4-day workweek, how to land one, and more.
What is a 4-Day workweek?
A four-day workweek shrinks the typical Monday-Friday grind into four days. The models are not exactly solidified in practice, but they can either involve a compressed schedule (four 10-hour days) or a reduced hours schedule (four eight-hour days). According to a KPMG survey of CEOs, 30 percent of large U.S. companies are already testing some variation of it. And the results speak for themselves: Early adopters of the four-day workweek are reporting less burnout, better focus, and a healthier balance between work and life. They are most common in tech, creative, and nonprofit fields, but with conversations around flexibility and mental health never not heating up online, more industries are bound to start experimenting, too.
What’s the difference between a 4-day workweek and a 32-hour workweek?
While the terms “4-day workweek” and “32-hour workweek” are often used interchangeably, they aren’t actually the same thing. The biggest difference comes down to how many hours you work. Here’s the difference:
A 4-day workweek: You work four days instead of five, but you don’t necessarily work fewer hours. Many employers use a compressed schedule, where employees work four 10-hour days for a total of 40 hours each week.
A 32-hour workweek: This reduces both the number of days and the number of hours worked. Employees typically work four 8-hour days for a total of 32 hours per week while still receiving full-time pay and benefits. These jobs are less common. but rest assured, they are out there.
Pros and cons of a 4-day workweek
Pros
I don’t think anyone could really be against the idea of working fewer days if it meant reclaiming some personal time. The idea of having extra time to run errands, go to doctors’ appointments, and carve out some much-needed “me time” without cramming it between Sunday scaries sounds like a dream. And the idea isn’t really just to give employees a long weekend—it’s also about reducing burnout, reclaiming time, and actually enjoying life outside of work overall.
Research already shows that shorter workweeks have proven to make people way more focused and productive during the hours they are working, making it a win-win for both employees and companies. In fact, when researchers recently tested the four-day work model on 141 companies, 90 percent of them kept the model after testing based on positive results. “When people are more well rested, they make fewer mistakes and work more intensely,” said Pedro Gomes, an economist at Birkbeck University of London.
Cons
The benefits of a four-day workweek are obviously great, but there have to be some drawbacks, right? Yes. For one, it may require working longer days, which can be physically and emotionally draining. 10 long hours in front of a computer instead of eight isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
Additionally, the four-day work model isn’t universally applicable; industries like healthcare or retail may struggle to implement it fully without compromising their service quality. For example, “healthcare staff might find themselves rushing through patient appointments, potentially compromising the quality of care,” according to Great Place to Work. And manufacturing teams might see an increase in error rates as a result of pushing to meet production targets in fewer days. This could lead to added stress on both the company and the employee, which would defeat the purpose of the transition.
Best jobs with a 4-day workweek
According to a recent LinkedIn report, there are various jobs available across industries that offer a 4-day workweek or 32-hour workweek, alongside competitive pay. Careers in tech, such as web designer, web developer, UX designer, and software architect, are among the most flexible, while business and finance roles like financial analyst, credit analyst, business analyst, auditor, project manager, project coordinator, payroll clerk, and tax preparer also frequently offer alternative schedules depending on the employer.
Creative and client-facing careers, including graphic designer, technical writer, marketing coordinator, wedding planner, recruiter, and travel agent, can also provide greater scheduling flexibility. Meanwhile, professionals in education, healthcare, and wellness—such as adjunct professors, tutors, dentists, psychologists, personal trainers, and childcare providers—may find four-day workweeks through flexible employers or by structuring their own schedules.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, as there are now more jobs than ever offering flexibility than there used to be, but these are some of the most common. One thing to keep in mind is that your schedule will have less to do with the job itself and more to do with who you work for.
Companies that offer 4-day workweeks
There is no four-day workweek gatekeeping here. A growing number of employers have adopted permanent four-day schedules or tested them through pilot programs. If you’re searching for a job with a shorter workweek, here are a few companies worth keeping on your radar.
- Basecamp (tech)
- Buffer (media)
- Ghost (nonprofit tech)
- Kickstarter (crowdfunding)
- Mixte (PR and marketing)
- Nexton (recruiting)
- Smalls (retail)
- Supporting Strategies (accounting)
- thredUp (retail)
- Uncharted (nonprofit)
- Uplift (tech)
- YNAB (finance)
How to find 4-day workweek jobs
Surprisingly, it’s not as hard as you think to find four-day workweeks. You just have to know the niche job markets offering and where to look. Here are the job boards where four-day workweeks commonly appear, as well as a few search terms to use to help find them.
Job boards to try:
Search terms to use
- “4-day workweek”
- “4×10 schedule”
- “compressed schedule”
- “compressed workweek”
- “32-hour workweek”
- “flexible schedule”
- “reduced-hour workweek”
You can also combine these terms with your desired role or industry. For example, search “software developer 4-day workweek,” “marketing manager compressed schedule,” or “UX designer flexible schedule” to find more targeted opportunities.
Tips for landing a 4-day workweek job
Snagging four-day workweek jobs takes a little strategy—and a lot of knowing where to look. Begin your hunt in industries that actually do this, like tech, marketing, and digital-first companies. When applying, focus on highlighting the results you can deliver in fewer hours—showing off your productivity skills and how they can prove effective in this kind of environment.
Networking can also be your secret weapon here, too: Don’t be afraid to reach out to people already thriving on a four-day schedule to get the inside scoop. Slide in those DM’s, message on LinkedIn—get in there. And finally, be ready to negotiate flexible options and clearly outline how you’ll maintain your task load in interviews. This is key to landing the role and proving this model works for both you and the company.
Madigan Will, Contributing Writer
As a contributing writer and former Assistant Editor for The Everygirl, Madigan has written and edited content across every topic under the digital media sun. As the oldest of four siblings, she brings a big-sister perspective to her work, helping readers discover new ways to maximize their everyday.
Hailey Tagliarino, Assistant Managing Editor
As Assistant Managing Editor for The Everygirl, Hailey Tagliarino oversees, writes, and edits content across various categories on the site. From the pitching stage through publishing, she works alongside the team to ensure that the content that our readers see every day is inspiring, relatable, and timely.
