Want to work a 4-day week? These are the books to read.

Working fewer hours, without a reduction in pay, is achievable for many workers.Credit: ac productions / Getty Images

• The concept of a 4-day week is being promoted by politicians and environmentalists.
• Multiple trials show that it is possible to reduce working hours without cutting pay.
• Insider has compiled a list of books on the topic.

Thanks, in part, to a widely publicized trial in Iceland, the concept of the four-day workweek is back in the news.

Politicians, environmentalists, and activists hail the idea of working less hours for the same pay as a means of creating healthier, happier workers who get more done. It may also be more environmentally friendly, as workers avoid driving into the office.

The Iceland trials plus company-specific pilots in New Zealand and Japan generally show them to be onto something - though it seems unlikely the trend will hit corporate America anytime soon.

Implementing a four-day week is not simple, and there are some misconceptions around the concept. But more companies are trialing the concept amid wider conversations about hybrid and flexible working.

We put together a list of influential books on how the world might get to a four-day week: