What was surprising about the trials?
When a number of companies tried a four-day working week with no cut in pay, the results surprised even the organisers. Most firms reported that productivity held steady or rose, and employees described lower stress and fewer sick days. Critics, however, caution against reading too much into the trials. The firms that volunteered were mostly small, office-based and already inclined to flexibility; a hospital or a factory running round the clock cannot simply close for an extra day. Others note that some staff compressed their work into longer days, which may simply move the pressure elsewhere. Supporters accept that the model will not suit every sector but argue that the trials show the five-day pattern is a habit, not a law of nature.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. Productivity did not fall and stress levels dropped
- Step 1: Productivity held steady or rose, and employees reported lower stress and fewer sick days.
Answer
Productivity did not fall and stress levels dropped.
Why not the others: Longer days appear as a criticism, not a result; pay did not rise and sick days fell.
Practise more Reading: society and technology.
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