About 4 Day Week - Global
What is 4 Day Week Global?
4 Day Week Global is the world's leading organization dedicated to changing the future of work through working smarter, not longer. The organization was founded in 2019 by Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart to challenge one of the most entrenched assumptions of modern work: that productivity is measured by hours worked. They reframed the global conversation, moving it away from time spent and toward output delivered. The idea of a four-day work week quickly gained international traction — trials were launched across multiple countries, governments explored policy implications, and researchers examined productivity outcomes.
At the heart of 4 Day Week Global is the trademarked 100:80:100™ principle: 100% output and 100% pay, all while working just 80% of the time. The methodology guides leaders to redesign meetings, communication, decision-making, work handover, performance measurement, focus-time protection, and client experience. Today, 4 Day Week Global has supported 2,500+ organisations in 37 countries and runs Fast Track ($299 USD self-paced), Design Programs (group or private), and Consulting (custom scope) offerings.
Where will I work?
4 Day Week Global is a globally distributed consultancy serving clients in 37 countries. The original organisation was Auckland, New Zealand-rooted (founders Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart); current leadership operates remotely across the same global ecosystem of researchers, academic collaborators, and delivery partners. The team is small (~9 people per public records) and works closely with clients on engagements that often span months.
What is the 4 Day Week Global team like?
The organization is now led by Karen Lowe and Debbie Bailey, who "lead 4 Day Week Global with a shared vision for a better, more sustainable way of working." Together they've coached more than 150 organisations in 27 countries, guiding teams through the strategy, design, and implementation of work redesign and reduced-hours culture transformation. Their multi-sector experience spans manufacturing, tech, finance, retail, and public sector. The team's expertise centers on work redesign, productivity, people-led design, and reduced-hours culture transformation, and they work alongside a wider ecosystem of researchers, academic collaborators, and delivery partners worldwide.
Work-Life Balance
As the organisation that originated and continues to trademark the 100:80:100™ model, 4 Day Week Global practices what it preaches: 32 hours per week (4 days), 100% of full-time pay, with 100% of expected output. The Four Day Work Week, in their framing, "is not a reward, perk, or experiment. It's the result of redesigning these systems properly." A successful four-day work week, they argue, requires clear decision-making structures, strong productivity foundations, meeting optimisation, workflow redesign, accountability systems, and performance clarity — the same redesign principles they teach.
Perks and Benefits
- 4-day work week (32 hours) at full pay — the team practices the 100:80:100™ model they invented and trademarked
- Globally distributed remote work — supporting clients across 37 countries