Do American workers want a 4-day work week?

Ready for a three-day weekend? Seven in 10 workers feel they could be just as productive in a four-day work week, according to new research.

Ahead of Labor Day, a new survey of 2,000 Americans examining lifestyle factors, attitudes to work and social life balance, found 69% of employed respondents think they could do their job in 32 hours a week.

However, over a quarter (29%) disagreed that this would be the case and three percent declined to vote.

The survey, conducted by Talker Research, found millennials as the generation most likely to support a four-day work week (75%), with Gen Z slightly less enthused (70%) and Gen X similarly compelled (70%).

For employed boomers, the notion of a four-day work week was notably less supported, with just 48% of those currently working thinking it should be adopted.

If Americans were to get their four-day work week, which is the day they’d like to have off? Friday dominated with 55% of the votes, followed by Monday (24%).

Why are so many dreaming of fewer work days? It may be due to their current work efforts. When those currently employed in the survey (873 respondents) were asked how their work life compares to one year ago, 52% felt they were working harder than last year.

Around a third of employed respondents (35%) said they’re working about the same amount as they were last year, while 13% said their workload has reduced or they’re working less hard.

Unfortunately, four in ten (38%) workers feel they’re currently overworked, compared to the 59% who say that isn’t the case for them.

Close to a fifth (18%) of employed respondents said they’re having to work outside of their expected/contracted hours every day. Forty-one percent work more than their official hours several times a week or more

And, unfortunately, a third of those currently employed (33%) said they will be working on Labor Day this year. Gen Z are most likely (43%) to be working the holiday shift, with the chances of working reducing the older a person is. 

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans; the survey was administered and conducted online by Talker Research between August 15 and August 21, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.