Self-Determination Theory and Motivation: A Case Study of Microsoft Japan’s Four-Day Workweek
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.2987Keywords:
Microsoft Japan, Four-day workweek, work-life balance, Self-Determination TheoryAbstract
In 2019, Microsoft Japan introduced a four-day workweek alongside initiatives to encourage employees to take time off for mental health. This implementation yielded remarkable results, showing a 40% increase in productivity, while employees reported lower stress levels and an improved work-life balance (Microsoft, 2019). There have been various theories regarding why this policy had these impacts, with one popular reason being the enhancement in employee psychological well-being. Through a case study, we investigated how worker motivation impacts productivity and satisfaction from Microsoft Japan’s four-day workweek policy. Specifically, we analyzed how the results of Microsoft’s policy are explained by Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory (Ryan and Deci, 2000), which is an influential model on mental well-being that breaks down the phenomenon into three core components: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The paper concludes that Self-Determination Theory can be used as an appropriate framework through implied increases of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, with some misalignment.
References
Day Week Global. (n.d.). 4 Day Week Design Program. 4 Day Week Global. https://www.4dayweek.com/pilot-program
American Psychological Association. (2025, January). The rise of the 4-day workweek. Monitor on Psychology. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2025/01/rise-of-4-day-workweek
Coccia, M. (2019). Theories of Self-Determination. Social Science Research Network. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3364519
Daniel, K., & Martinez, O. (2023). The four-day workweek: Productivity booster or business killer? International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Arts and Humanities, 8(2), 39–47.
Fang, W., Schor, J. B., Kelly, O., & Gu, G. (2023). Does work time reduction improve workers’ well-being? Evidence from global four-day workweek trials. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/7ucy9
Gagné, M., Parker, S. K., Griffin, M. A., Dunlop, P. D., Knight, C. A., Klonek, F. E., & Parent-Rocheleau, X. (2022). Understanding and shaping the future of work with self-determination theory. Nature Reviews Psychology, 1(7), 378–392. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-022-00056-w
Gatlin-Keener, C., & Lunsford, R. (2020). Four-day workweek: The Microsoft Japan experience. In Conference in the cloud: Criminal justice/case studies track.
Haraldsson, G. D., & Kellam, J. (2021). Going Public: Iceland’s Journey to a Shorter Working Week. Autonomy & Alda. https://autonomy.work/portfolio/icelandsww/
Johannsen, R., & Zak, P. J. (2020). Autonomy raises productivity: An experiment measuring neurophysiology. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 963. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00963
Ke, D.-S. (2012). Overwork, stroke, and karoshi-death from overwork. Acta Neurologica Taiwanica, 21(2), 54–59.
Kelloway, E. K., Dimoff, J. K., & Gilbert, S. (2023). Mental health in the workplace. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 10(1), 363–387. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-012420-094313
Mardiani, E., Haryaka, U., Aziza, F., Salabi, A., & Setiawan Wibowo, T. (2023). The influence of work competence on work productivity with work motivation as a moderating variable. Jurnal Ilmiah Edunomika, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.29040/jie.v8i1.12019
Mazur, B., & Mazur-Małek, M. (2017). Towards corporate wellness: Health culture and wellness programs. Journal of Intercultural Management, 9(3), 45–61. https://doi.org/10.1515/JOIM-2017-0013
Microsoft Japan. (2019, July 23). 「週勤 4 日＆週休 3 日」を柱とする自社実践プロジェクト「ワークライフチョイス チャレンジ 2019 夏」を開始 [Microsoft launches internal initiative “Work Life Choice Challenge Summer 2019” centered on 4-day workweek and 3-day weekend] [Press release]. https://news.microsoft.com/ja-jp/2019/07/23/190723-ms-worklifechoice2019/
Microsoft Japan. (2019, October 31). 「週勤 4 日 ＆ 週休 3 日」を柱とする自社実践プロジェクト「ワークライフチョイス チャレンジ 2019 夏」の効果測定結果を公開 [Results of the Work-Life Choice Challenge Summer 2019 measuring the impact of a 4-day workweek and 3-day weekend initiative]. News Center Japan. https://news.microsoft.com/ja-jp/2019/10/31/191031-published-the-results-of-measuring-the-effectiveness-of-our-work-life-choice-challenge-summer-2019/
Perpetual Guardian, Coulthard Barnes, The University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, & MinterEllisonRuddWatts. (2018). White paper – The four-day week: Guidelines for an outcome-based trial – Raising productivity and engagement. 4 Day Week Global. https://4dayweek.com/access-white-paper
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68
World Health Organization, & United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). (2022). WHO-UNICEF Joint Programme on Mental Health and Psychosocial Well-being and Development of Children and Adolescents. https://www.who.int/news/item/07-10-2022-unicef-and-who-announce-launch-of-joint-programme-on-child-and-adolescent-mental-health
Yamauchi, T., Yoshikawa, T., Takamoto, M., Sasaki, T., Matsumoto, S., Kayashima, K., Takeshima, T., & Takahashi, M. (2017). Overwork-related disorders in Japan: recent trends and development of a national policy to promote preventive measures. Industrial Health, 55(3), 293–302. https://doi.org/10.2486/INDHEALTH.2016-0198
Downloads
Posted
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Minh Anh Thai
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license
