• Company tried out 'Working Reform Project' giving 2,300 employees Friday off
• During the time employees also took 25.4 percent fewer days off in the month
• Much of the increase in productivity was attributed to the changing of meetings 

Microsoft Japan has taken a bold new move in a bid to improve work-life balance by introducing a three-day weekend for their employees.  

The company carried out a 'Working Reform Project' called the Work-Life Choice Challenge Summer 2019 for one month - giving 2,300 employees every Friday off.

This 'special paid holiday' did not come at the expense of any other holiday time.

The results showed that productivity went up by a staggering 39.9 per cent. 

Employees also took 25.4 per cent fewer days off during the month and used 23.1 per cent less electricity in the office which saved the company money. 

Much the increase in productivity was attributed to the changing of meetings. 

With only four days to get everything done for the week, many meetings were cut, shortened, or changed to virtual meetings instead of in-person. 

In addition, 92.1 percent of employees said that they liked the four day workweek at the end of the trial. 

Due to its success this year, Microsoft is planning on repeating it again next summer and potentially at other times as well.  

Some commentators weren't so impressed, saying: 'I'd love for this to be implemented more, but I feel like making it work at companies open all week could be difficult. They'd have to hire more workers to rotate through the days.'

'Microsoft is different from regular businesses, so I don't think this would work everywhere.'

The country routinely scores towards the bottom when it comes to employee satisfaction around the developed world in statistics. 

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