NPR

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

The notion of a shorter workweek might sound crazy to overworked Americans, but around the world, companies and even governments are starting to embrace it. The key is fewer meetings and distractions.
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.

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.

But in some places, the four-day concept is taking off like a viral meme. Many employers aren't just moving to 10-hour shifts, four days a week,

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