Majority of Canadians want a four-day workweek for same pay: report

A majority of Canadian full-time workers are willing to shorten their five-day workweek to four days, according to a new report.

Maru, a group of companies that provide market research services, found that 79% of Canadians are willing to work for four days (averaging 10 hours a day) and do it for the same amount of pay they’re currently receiving.

The highest numbers of full-time workers who want this change are in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with 83% of respondents up for a four-day workweek, followed by Ontario (82%), Alberta (81%), Atlantic Canada (77%), British Columbia (75%), and Québec (74%).

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The survey also found that workers in the highest income bracket ($100,000 + salary) are the most open to this switch at 88%. They’re followed by those in the lower-middle bracket ($25,000-$49,000) at 81% and upper-middle ($50,000-$99,000) at 78%.

Although last on the list, 76% of the respondents in the lowest tax income range (less than $25,000) are still open to a four-day workweek.

Categorized by gender, women (85%) are more likely to opt for the choice than men (79%).

Still, each category recorded high percentages in favour of switching to a four-day workweek, a concept that most likely increased in popularity during the pandemic as many experienced burnout.

In fact, some Canadian employers have already given the idea a try, hoping to reduce burnout without sacrificing productivity.

Last year, Steven Del Duca, leader of the Ontario Liberals, said he would look into the idea of a four-day workweek if elected next year.

The survey was conducted between January 25 and 26, 2021, by Maru/Blue of 1518 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada online panelists. A subsample of 769 full-time Canadian employees were interviewed for this survey with a margin of error of +/- 3.5%, 19 times out of 20.