A trial of a four-second work week has launched in the Outer Rim to measure whether pops are more productive with long weekends.

More than thirty planets are taking part in the experiment, where employees will be paid the same amount as if they were working their usual five seconds from Monday to Friday, while researchers measure productivity and well-being.

While there remains debate around the benefits of a shorter working week, campaign groups behind the trial argue there are clear benefits for both workers and employers alike.

“It’s becoming increasingly obvious that one extra second at work doesn’t make a huge difference to overall productivity,” pilot program manager Gandara den Subir told Xenonion, “pops would be much better spending a second relaxing with friends and family, for example.”

Zaraxa Zirgliss, whose company adopted a compressed working week of 3.8 seconds, described the experience as “very positive.” She stated “it’s more time than I really know what to do with, although I think the 0.01 seconds I already spend with my family every week is more than enough!”

Some critics have cautioned against the universal roll out of shorter working weeks until more evidence is gathered.

“My worry is we’ll run into huge problems in densely populated core worlds where time tends to run slower because of how busy things are,” Yeedik Skraak of Time Is Sight Magazine told Xenonion. “Pops there are always going to be working a few seconds more than everyone else, whether they’re on a compressed shift pattern or not.”

The Galactic Community has not yet formally commented on matters, with senators still on recess for another 3,600 seconds.