EXPLORING EMPLOYEES' EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR FOUR-DAY WORKWEEKS IN PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS

Author

• RADIA LAKHSSASSI, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

5-1-2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Workforce Education and Development

First Advisor

Al-Asfour, Ahmed

Abstract

The four-day workweek is gaining popularity as a way to improve employees’ well-being, personal productivity, and performance in private organizations. However, successful implementation requires strategic interventions, meeting employees' core desires and needs, and considering person-job fit to ensure motivation and engagement. The current understanding of the four-day workweek is primarily based on limited international studies and sections of the 4-Day Global Reports. There is a notable lack of independent research examining employees' lived experiences in the United States. To address this gap, the study applies Desire Satisfaction Theory and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs as its guiding frameworks. This qualitative phenomenological research provides deeper insight into human perspectives within this emerging work model through analysis of four themes: work schedule structures and flexibility; implementation, adaptation, adoption, and depth; well-being and work-life balance desires; and time management, personal productivity, and personal performance. Data collection involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews to gather detailed insights into participants' lived experiences. Thematic analysis revealed specific steps and approaches for successful implementation, such as coordinating days off across teams and fostering an environment that supports gratitude to sustain performance. The findings are intended to guide human resources development (HRD) leaders with practical recommendations for effectively adopting the four-day workweek, promoting a shift toward an employee-centric culture, and establishing a work environment that treats the schedule as sustainable, thereby improving well-being, productivity, and performance.