Compressed workweeks help employees detach but do not reduce burnout risk

Condensing workweeks into fewer days to enjoy more days off, what are the implications for employee well-being? New longitudinal research from Ghent University at IKEA Belgium challenges policymakers' assumptions about the benefits of compressed work schedules, revealing both their potential and limitations in promoting workplace well-being.

Compressed schedules—where employees work longer daily hours to secure an additional day off—are gaining traction as a strategy to boost work-life balance and address rising burnout rates. In the aftermath of a national labor reform introducing the option to work compressed, researchers from Ghent University followed Belgian IKEA employees over four waves of data collection before and after adopting compressed work schedules, assessing psychological detachment from work, work-related exhaustion, and burnout risk.

The findings provide a nuanced picture. On the one hand, they suggest that compressed schedules help employees detach from work psychologically. People take mental breaks more easily and think less about work during their free time. On the other hand, compressed schedules do not seem to significantly reduce the risk of burnout, which was one of the premises of the national labor reform.

Explaining the results

The study, grounded in the recovery literature, highlights that while additional days off help employees recover in the short term, the work environment's unchanged demands and stressors leave burnout symptoms unaddressed. 

The additional day off in a compressed schedule works like a micro-vacation: it gives employees a brief mental reset with more time for personal activities, helping them step away from work concerns. However, following this micro-vacation, people return to the usual work environment, where the same stressors, deadlines, and challenges await. Without changes to this work environment, some of the ongoing pressures contributing to burnout symptoms remain unaddressed."

Louis Lippens, labor market researcher, Ghent University

Practical implications

Thus, while employees may reap the benefits from these "micro-vacations", the results underline the need for holistic approaches to prevent burnout. Employers should pair flexible schedules with measures that address the broader work environment, such as workload management, supportive policies, and mental health initiatives.

Lead researcher Kristen du Bois states:

"Offering compressed work schedules can be a valuable tool to help employees detach from work in their free time, which is essential for their recovery from work. Yet, policymakers should be cautious in assuming that the arrangements will reduce burnout in the labor market. Proper prevention requires addressing stressors in the workplace, not just offering temporary relief. Nevertheless, the schedules can be a valuable addition to an organization's broader well-being strategy."