ArticleScandinavian journal of work, environment & health2026
Exploring the health and well-being benefits of reduced working hours with maintained salary: A scoping review and evidence map.
Article in Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Evaluation of a Reduced Work Schedule and Housing Authority Employee Wellbeing.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Assessing health, wellbeing, and working life impacts of a 4-day week: a multimodal protocol.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThe aim of this review was to map the characteristics and the effects of interventions that reduce working hours with full pay maintained on workers' health, well-being and work-life balance and to assess whether a gender perspective was incorporated.
methodsA scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR and JBI guidelines. Scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane, ProQuest, Epistemonikos) and grey literature sources (international, European and national labor and occupational health agencies) were systematically searched for studies published between April 2014 and May 2025 in English or Spanish. Eligible studies comprised employed adults in Scandinavian and Western European countries, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand exposed to interventions reducing working hours with full pay maintained. Screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal were conducted independently. An evidence map was developed to synthesize the findings.
resultsTen scientific articles and five grey literature reports were included, seven from Scandinavian, seven from Western European countries, and one that included both regions. Working time reductions ranged from 10-25%. Most studies reported positive effects on work-life balance (100%), mental health (81.8%), and general health and well-being (58.3%). Qualitative data confirmed improvements in recovery, fatigue, and family time. Eleven studies included a gender perspective, with eight providing stratified analyses. Several studies indicated that women increased the time dedicated to caregiving and household, reinforcing traditional roles, while men's involvement rose slightly without shifting responsibility equity.
conclusionsDespite heterogeneity of interventions and limited implementation contexts, it seems that reducing working hours to around 30-35 per week without pay loss may improve work-life balance, health, and well-being. Gender differences emerged, with women often facing increased unpaid work. As the evidence is still scarce particularly regarding long-term effects, sector-specific interventions, and gendered effects, further research is needed to inform and evaluate policies that promote equitable and sustainable work-time arrangements.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.