Will the success of a four-day working week trial lead to a change in our standard working week?

A trial of a four-day working week that ran between June and December 2022 has now concluded and the results have been reported. Billed the world’s largest trial of a four-day working week, the pilot scheme ran over a six month period with 61 companies in the UK taking part. It has been reported that it has been a success for the majority of employees and employers taking part. During the trial, employees were paid 100% of their pay for 80% of their hours worked. The companies taking part were from varied sectors.

 

The trial was organised by the 4 Day Week Campaign, Think Tank Autonomy and the University of Cambridge and Boston College in the US. It found that 92% of the companies that took part have decided to continue with the four-day working week after the end of the pilot. Out of the 61 companies, at least 56 have extended the four-day week, including 18 making it a permanent change.

The findings have been positive and the majority of the companies in the trial found that performance and productivity were maintained, with revenue across the companies rising by 1.4% on average. The employees have benefited from a better work/life balance and reduced travel and childcare costs. The companies productivity had not decreased and the wellbeing of their workforce improved with 65% less sick days taken in the period across the companies and better physical and mental health of employees. The companies also reported better staff retention with 57% fewer staff leaving the firms compared to the same period a year earlier and said that it helped with recruitment.

The 4 Day Week Campaign group is aiming to sign-up more businesses to adopt a four-day working week on a voluntary basis but a nationwide change seems someway off. The UK Government has not yet shown support to change the law to implement a four-day working week with no reduction in pay.

To discuss anything arising from this update, please contact Joanne Briscoe, Associate at The Wilkes Partnership on 0121 710 55826 or via email at [email protected]. You can also contact any other member of the Employment Team on 0121 233 4333 or email us at [email protected].