https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/04/tech/microsoft-japan-workweek-productivity/index.html Markets Tech Media Success Perspectives Videos Live TV Edition * U.S. * International * Arabic * Espanol My Account * Preferences * Log Out Log In Need a CNN account? Sign up Email address [ ] Password [ ] Forgot password? [*] Stay logged in Log In Your email has not been verified To complete your CNN profile and ensure you are able to receive important account information, please verify your email address. Send verification email Success! Verification email has been resent. Our Terms of Service have Changed Please click the button below to agree to our Terms and Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. I agree Recover Password Email address [ ] Reset Password If an account exists, we've sent an email with a link to reset your password. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Didn't get the email? Resend Password Reset Email Success! Password reset email has been resent. [ ] Search Edition * U.S. * International * Arabic * Espanol --------------------------------------------------------------------- My Account * Preferences * Log Out Log In Need a CNN account? Sign up Email address [ ] Password [ ] Forgot password? [*] Stay logged in Log In Your email has not been verified To complete your CNN profile and ensure you are able to receive important account information, please verify your email address. Send verification email Success! Verification email has been resent. Our Terms of Service have Changed Please click the button below to agree to our Terms and Conditions and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. I agree Recover Password Email address [ ] Reset Password If an account exists, we've sent an email with a link to reset your password. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Didn't get the email? Resend Password Reset Email Success! Password reset email has been resent. --------------------------------------------------------------------- * US + Crime + Justice + Energy + Environment + Extreme Weather + Space + Science * World + Africa + Americas + Asia + Australia + China + Europe + India + Middle East + United Kingdom * US Politics + Donald Trump + Supreme Court + Congress + Facts First + 2020 Election * Business + Markets + Tech + Media + Success + Perspectives + Videos * Health + Food + Fitness + Wellness + Parenting + Vital Signs * Entertainment + Stars + Screen + Binge + Culture + Media * Tech + Innovate + Gadget + Foreseeable Future + Mission: Ahead + Upstarts + Work Transformed + Innovative Cities * Style + Arts + Design + Fashion + Architecture + Luxury + Beauty + Video * Travel + Destinations + Food & Drink + Stay + News + Videos * Sports + Football + Tennis + Equestrian + Golf + Skiing + Horse Racing + Motorsport + Formula E + Esports * Videos + Live TV + Digital Studios + CNN Films + HLN + TV Schedule + TV Shows A-Z + CNNVR * Features + Call to Earth + Freedom Project + Impact Your World + Inside Africa + 2 Degrees + CNN Heroes + All Features * More + Photos + Longform + Investigations + CNN Profiles + CNN Leadership + CNN Newsletters + Work for CNN * Weather + Climate + Storm Tracker + Video --------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow CNN Business * * * Microsoft tried a 4-day workweek in Japan. Productivity jumped 40% By Michelle Toh and Yoko Wakatsuki, CNN Business Updated 12:29 PM EST, Mon November 18, 2019 A ShackBurger, cheese fries, and milkshake are arranged for a photograph at a Shake Shack Inc. restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S., on Wednesday, March 6, 2019. Shake Shack is still failing to bring in more diners as it expands outside its home market of New York in the fiercely competitive restaurant space -- the chain plans to open 36 to 40 company-owned U.S. locations in fiscal 2019. Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images PHOTO: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg/Getty Images A ShackBurger, cheese fries, and milkshake are arranged for a photograph at a Shake Shack Inc. restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky, U.S., on Wednesday, March 6, 2019. Shake Shack is still failing to bring in more diners as it expands outside its home market of New York in the fiercely competitive restaurant space -- the chain plans to open 36 to 40 company-owned U.S. locations in fiscal 2019. Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images Now playing 02:34 Why Shake Shack is testing out a 4-day work week [2102180830] Now playing 02:42 A challenging year for women: Millions are out of work [2010201656] PHOTO: Branislav Nenin/Shutterstock Now playing 02:27 Is working from home the new normal? A screenshot of Alpana Chakravarti, a single mother of two who was laid off due to the pandemic, with her daughter. PHOTO: CNN A screenshot of Alpana Chakravarti, a single mother of two who was laid off due to the pandemic, with her daughter. Now playing 02:43 Women bearing brunt of pandemic's economic cost [2003191614] PHOTO: Shutterstock Now playing 04:47 Permanent work from home is here. Will cities survive? [2101251604] Now playing 03:09 Trivago CEO's son crashes live CNN interview [2008201408] Now playing 02:43 What some companies are doing to establish WFH balance [2008071011] Now playing 02:58 Childcare challenges force some working moms to put their careers on hold [2007271726] PHOTO: CAMIO Now playing 03:15 This AI technology tracks employees to enforce social distancing MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - SEPTEMBER 02: The new Google logo is displayed at the Google headquarters on September 2, 2015 in Mountain View, California. Google has made the most dramatic change to their logo since 1999 and have replaced their signature serif font with a new typeface called Product Sans. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) PHOTO: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North America/Getty Images MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - SEPTEMBER 02: The new Google logo is displayed at the Google headquarters on September 2, 2015 in Mountain View, California. Google has made the most dramatic change to their logo since 1999 and have replaced their signature serif font with a new typeface called Product Sans. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Now playing 02:48 Google extends work from home policy amid pandemic [2007012018] PHOTO: BBC/Sky News Now playing 01:14 Watch children interrupt live BBC, Sky News interviews [2006291057] Now playing 03:26 Dell exec: Remote working means a bigger talent pool future office coronavirus covid 19 pandemic technology social distancing sebastian pkg intl ldn vpx_00004211.jpg future office coronavirus covid 19 pandemic technology social distancing sebastian pkg intl ldn vpx_00004211.jpg Now playing 02:42 Acrylic glass, masks, warning signs: Is this the office of the future? [2005171237] Now playing 01:51 Five tips to look more professional on a video conference [2004231751] Now playing 04:27 Working from home could shake up parenting dynamics [2004021043] Now playing 03:05 Parents face extra challenges working from home (CNN Business) -- A growing number of smaller companies are adopting a four-day workweek. Now the results of a recent trial at Microsoft (MSFT) suggest it could work even for the biggest businesses. The company introduced a program this summer in Japan called the "Work Life Choice Challenge," which shut down its offices every Friday in August and gave all employees an extra day off each week. The results were promising: While the amount of time spent at work was cut dramatically, productivity -- measured by sales per employee -- went up by almost 40% compared to the same period the previous year, the company said in a statement last week. In addition to reducing working hours, managers urged staff to cut down on the time they spent in meetings and responding to emails. They suggested that meetings should last no longer than 30 minutes. Employees were also encouraged to cut down on meetings altogether by using an online messaging app (Microsoft's, of course). TOKYO, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 11: A bento box containing grilled chicken and vegetables from a convenience store or "konbini" is pictured on September 11, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan. Japan's Konbini stores (convenience stores) are famous for their high quality food, available 24hours a day. Many of the stores have 2-5 deliveries per day of fresh, often locally sourced products all prepared in ready to eat packaged meals, catering mostly to office workers and travellers. As of July 30, 2015, Japan's minimum wage was 780yen (approx. $6.45 USD) lower than in many countries, including the United States. With a small 2.3 percent rise in minimum wages expected this year, the cheap convenience store meals popularity has seen a steady rise in sales, fast food and daily food sales of convenience stores for 2014 was 3,807,614 million yen, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) PHOTO: Chris McGrath/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images TOKYO, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 11: A bento box containing grilled chicken and vegetables from a convenience store or "konbini" is pictured on September 11, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan. Japan's Konbini stores (convenience stores) are famous for their high quality food, available 24hours a day. Many of the stores have 2-5 deliveries per day of fresh, often locally sourced products all prepared in ready to eat packaged meals, catering mostly to office workers and travellers. As of July 30, 2015, Japan's minimum wage was 780yen (approx. $6.45 USD) lower than in many countries, including the United States. With a small 2.3 percent rise in minimum wages expected this year, the cheap convenience store meals popularity has seen a steady rise in sales, fast food and daily food sales of convenience stores for 2014 was 3,807,614 million yen, according to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images) Related Article Japanese employee fined for taking 3 minutes out of work to order lunch The effects were widespread. More than 90% of Microsoft's 2,280 employees in Japan later said they were impacted by the new measures, according to the company. By shutting down earlier each week, the company was also able to save on other resources, such as electricity. The initiative is timely. Japan has long grappled with a grim -- and in some cases, fatal -- culture of overwork. The problem is so severe, the country has even coined a term for it: karoshi means death by overwork from stress-induced illnesses or severe depression. The issue attracted international attention in 2015, when an employee at Japanese advertising giant Dentsu died by suicide on Christmas Day. Tokyo officials later said that the staffer had worked excessive amounts of overtime. Two years later, a reporter at a Japanese broadcaster died after working punishing long hours. Her employer said she had clocked in 159 hours of overtime the month before her death. That has led businesses to start searching for solutions. Some companies have begun offering employees more flexibility, and the government has launched a campaign called "Premium Friday," which encourages workers to leave early every last Friday of the month. Microsoft, for its part, says it will conduct another experiment in Japan later this year. It plans to ask employees to come up with new measures to improve work-life balance and efficiency, and will also ask other companies to join the initiative. [ ] Search * US + Crime + Justice + Energy + Environment + Extreme Weather + Space + Science * World + Africa + Americas + Asia + Australia + China + Europe + India + Middle East + United Kingdom * US Politics + Donald Trump + Supreme Court + Congress + Facts First + 2020 Election * Business + Markets + Tech + Media + Success + Perspectives + Videos * Health + Food + Fitness + Wellness + Parenting + Vital Signs * Entertainment + Stars + Screen + Binge + Culture + Media * Tech + Innovate + Gadget + Foreseeable Future + Mission: Ahead + Upstarts + Work Transformed + Innovative Cities * Style + Arts + Design + Fashion + Architecture + Luxury + Beauty + Video * Travel + Destinations + Food & Drink + Stay + News + Videos * Sports + Football + Tennis + Equestrian + Golf + Skiing + Horse Racing + Motorsport + Formula E + Esports * Videos + Live TV + Digital Studios + CNN Films + HLN + TV Schedule + TV Shows A-Z + CNNVR * Features + Call to Earth + Freedom Project + Impact Your World + Inside Africa + 2 Degrees + CNN Heroes + All Features * More + Photos + Longform + Investigations + CNN Profiles + CNN Leadership + CNN Newsletters + Work for CNN * Weather + Climate + Storm Tracker + Video --------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow CNN Business * * * * --------------------------------------------------------------------- Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: Copyright 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc.2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices Copyright S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates. Terms of Use Privacy Policy Accessibility & CC About Newsletters Transcripts (c) 2021 Cable News Network. A Warner Media Company. All Rights Reserved. CNN Sans (tm) & (c) 2016 Cable News Network.