Enjoy The Extra Day Off! More Bosses Give 4-Day Workweek A Try

Shake Shack shortened managers’ workweeks to four days at some stores a year and a half ago. Recently, the burger chain expanded the trial to a third of its U.S. stores.

Brittany Murray / MediaNews Group via Getty Images

Companies around the world are embracing what might seem like a radical idea: a four-day workweek.

The concept is gaining ground in places as varied as New Zealand and Russia, and it’s making inroads among some American companies. Employers are seeing surprising benefits, including higher sales and profits.

The idea of a four-day workweek might sound crazy, especially in America, where the number of hours worked has been climbing and where cellphones and email remind us of our jobs 24/7.