A 4-day workweek is associated with several benefits, including increased productivity, improved work-life balance, and better employee wellbeing, which can be achieved through greater focus, more efficient processes, and more time spent with family or on passions.

A 4-day workweek is associated with various benefits, including cost savings, improved productivity, and better employee wellbeing, which can be achieved by providing employees with more free time to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

"A 4-day workweek has been associated with several benefits, including improved productivity, better employee wellbeing, and increased job satisfaction, with a current trial testing the 100:80:100 model involving over 3300 workers at 70 companies."

A 4-day workweek can have benefits such as improved productivity, better employee wellbeing, and cost savings, as seen in the example of Atom Bank, which implemented the change and saw positive impacts on employees and operations.

A 4-day workweek is associated with several benefits, including improved productivity, better employee wellbeing, and increased job satisfaction, as well as cost savings, improved work-life balance, and reduced stress.

The UK four-day workweek trial involved 3,300 workers from 70 companies, who worked 80% of their normal hours with no reduction in pay.

The UK four-day workweek trial involves more than 3,300 workers from 70 companies, with the participants maintaining their full pay while working 80% of their original time, aiming for at least 100% productivity.

The UK four-day workweek trial involved 3,300 workers from 70 companies, who were paid in full for working four days a week.

More than 3,000 employees participated in the UK four-day workweek trial.

The UK four-day workweek trial involves more than 3,300 workers who will work 80% of their hours for 100% of their pay.

"Multiple companies have successfully adopted a four-day workweek, citing benefits such as increased productivity and improved work-life balance, with some implementing the 100:80:100 model."

"Multiple companies, such as Atom Bank and Microsoft, have successfully implemented a four-day workweek, resulting in improved employee well-being, productivity, and customer service, while also promoting sustainable living and work-life balance."

"Atom Bank has successfully transitioned to a four-day workweek, resulting in increased productivity and employee motivation, and is one of several companies to have adopted this trend."

"A four-day workweek has been successfully implemented by various companies, resulting in increased productivity and improved work-life balance, but requires careful consideration of implementation challenges."

Several companies, including tech and finance firms, have successfully transitioned to a four-day workweek, potentially improving employee well-being and productivity.

Studies and trials on the 4-day workweek have been conducted in several countries including the UK, Spain, Iceland, the US, Canada, and others, with more countries like Australia and New Zealand expected to join.

"Studies and trials on the 4-day workweek have been conducted in several countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Japan, and others, with the UK hosting the world's biggest trial."

Studies and trials on the 4-day workweek have been conducted in several countries, with the UK being one of them, where it has shown positive outcomes in terms of work-life balance and productivity.

Studies and trials on the 4-day workweek have been conducted or discussed in various countries including the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Iceland, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales, and Spain, as part of a global trend towards reevaluating work schedules for improved productivity and work-life balance.

"Studies and trials on the 4-day workweek have been conducted in several countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Japan, and others, with some trials showing major benefits to productivity and employee health."

The 4-day workweek trial in the UK involves 70 companies with over 3,300 workers, who will work 80% of their normal hours with no reduction in pay.

61 UK companies participated in the 4-day workweek trial, which involved nearly 3,000 employees and showed positive results in terms of productivity and employee retention.

61 UK companies participated in the 4-day workweek trial.

"70 UK companies participated in the 4-day workweek trial, involving 3,300 employees who worked four days a week with full pay."

The 4-day workweek trial in the UK involved 70 companies.

A 4-day workweek trial was conducted in the United Kingdom, involving nearly 3,000 employees from 61 British businesses, and the results showed improvements in productivity and employee retention.

A 4-day workweek trial was conducted in the UK, involving over 60 companies and 3,000 employees, with the majority of companies planning to continue or adopt the policy.

The 4-day workweek trial was conducted in the United Kingdom, involving 61 companies across various industries from June to December 2022.

A 4-day workweek trial was conducted in the United Kingdom, specifically in Britain, starting in June 2022.

A 4-day workweek trial was conducted in the UK, involving over 70 companies and 3,300 workers, to study its impact on productivity and well-being.

The United Kingdom has initiated a trial of the four-day workweek, involving 70 companies and over 3,300 workers, with no reduction in pay, as part of a global experiment to assess the benefits and challenges of this work arrangement.

The United Kingdom has implemented a 4-day workweek experiment with over 3300 workers at 70 companies, with no loss of pay, as part of a six-month trial.

The UK has seen a successful implementation of a 4-day workweek experiment, as evidenced by Atom Bank, which shifted all its employees to a four-day week without changing their salaries and observed a positive impact on employees, customer service, and operations.

The UK has seen success with the implementation of a 4-day workweek, with companies like Atom reporting improved productivity and work-life balance.

A survey of 1,113 employers and workers found that 100% of workers prefer a 4-day workweek, indicating a strong support for this model among employees.

The majority of Irish workers, 95%, prefer a 4-day workweek, indicating a strong interest in this flexible working option.

A survey of 2,000 current employees found that 89% of respondents prefer a 4-day workweek, indicating a strong desire for this benefit among employees.

The UK's four-day workweek trial, involving 70 companies and over 3,300 workers, started on 6 June, 2022, with participants working 80% of their normal hours without a reduction in pay.

The UK's four-day workweek trial started on June 6, 2022, and is based on the 100:80:100 model, where employees receive 100% of their pay for working 80% of the time, in exchange for maintaining at least 100% productivity.

The UK's four-day workweek trial started on 6 June, 2022, and involved 61 companies with 2,900 employees, running until December of the same year.

The UK's four-day workweek trial began on 6 June, 2022, and lasted for six months.

The UK's four-day workweek trial started in June 2022, as part of a larger experiment on reduced working weeks.

The 4 Day Week Global organization was founded by Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart.

Approximately 3,000 employees participated in the 4-day workweek study in the United Kingdom.

The 4-day workweek study involved more than 3,000 employees from over 60 companies in the UK.

Approximately 3,000 employees participated in a 6-month study on the effectiveness of a 4-day workweek, which showed improvements in mental and physical health and reductions in anxiety and fatigue.

The 4-day workweek study involved approximately 3,000 employees from over 60 companies in the UK.

A 4-day workweek study involved 3,000 employees.

Approximately 2,900 employees from 61 companies participated in the UK's 4-day workweek test.

The UK's 4-day workweek test involved approximately 3,000 employees from 61 British businesses.

Approximately 2,900 employees participated in the UK's 4-day workweek test.

The UK's 4-day workweek test involved 2900 employees from 61 companies, who maintained a three-day weekend work mode for six months with no change in salary.

"A total of 2,900 employees from 61 companies in the UK participated in a 4-day workweek pilot, which resulted in improved employee well-being and no significant loss of revenue for the companies."

"Similar four-day workweek experiments have been conducted in several countries, including New Zealand, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Belgium, Iceland, and Japan."

"Several countries, including Iceland, Scotland, Wales, Sweden, New Zealand, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Belgium, and Japan, have conducted or proposed four-day workweek experiments."

Similar four-day workweek experiments have been conducted in several countries, including New Zealand, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Belgium, Iceland, and Japan.

The UK started its 4-day workweek social experiment on June 1, 2022, involving over 3,000 employees from more than 60 companies.

The UK began its 4-day workweek social experiment on June 1, 2022, with 61 companies participating, yielding generally positive results.

The UK initiated a 4-day workweek social experiment on June 1, 2022, involving 3,300 employees from 70 companies, aiming to assess its impact on productivity, stress, and overall well-being.

The UK began its 4-day workweek social experiment on June 1, 2022, involving 70 businesses and over 3,000 employees, to study its effects.

The UK started its 4-day workweek social experiment on June 1, 2022, as part of a growing trend to improve work-life balance and productivity.

A 4-day workweek is associated with several benefits, including increased productivity, improved work-life balance, and better employee wellbeing, which can be achieved through greater focus, more efficient processes, and more time spent with family or on passions.

Title:

Content: Finally, the four-day work week trial is here

  • Marie Claire is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.
  • Progressive change is coming

    Britain is officially trialling the four-day work week and I’m thrilled. No, I’m not a skiver, I just believe that flexible working is the key to making life work, and the next step is the four-day workweek.

    Organised by 4 Day Week Global, the world’s biggest trial of the four-day work week began in the UK on Monday 6 June. The six-month-long trial will see 70 companies – totalling more than 3,300 workers – test out the four-day week (working 80% of their normal hours) with, it’s critical to note, no reduction in pay.

    Marie Claire has long advocated flexible working rights, supporting writer Anna Whitehouse with her Flex Appeal campaign, which started in 2019 when she was denied flexible working and told it would ‘open the floodgates’ to others seeking it.

    But for the majority, it was Covid-19 that truly changed attitudes towards the workplace, because the pandemic had so profoundly affected people’s working lives.

    Prioritise flexible working

    In 2020 Marie Claire‘s first Future of Work collaboration with LinkedIn explored how the British population felt about the prospect of returning to the pre-pandemic routine.

    The message was clear: employers need to prioritise flexible working going forward, because we realised we could work from home successfully (and that was during an unimaginably stressful period).

    The future of work

    The believed benefits of the four-day working week include:

    • More productivity through greater focus
    • Drive to adopt more efficient processes
    • Greater mental health through more time spent with family or on passions

    As with all trials, it’s important to recognise the potential negative effects – less manageable workloads, less breaks and longer hours, but I hope this pioneering movement will help shape the future of work for the better.

    Work-life balance

    It is currently impossible to have a work-life balance when we work five days and have two days off. Where is the logic? In my opinion, the four-day working week is less about motivating me to work harder – I already work hard, thank you. The four-day working week is actually about giving people enough free time to be healthy, happy and fulfilled.

    Reading now

    Popular Life stories

What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

The employees were happier
The productivity  increased

What did a survey on 4-day workweek conducted in Hong Kong show?

61% of respondents said employers could implement a four-day workweek to improve employees' mental health.

What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

Increase in productivity
Increase in work quality indicators

A 4-day workweek is associated with various benefits, including cost savings, improved productivity, and better employee wellbeing, which can be achieved by providing employees with more free time to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

The employees were happier
The productivity  increased

What did a survey on 4-day workweek conducted in Hong Kong show?

61% of respondents said employers could implement a four-day workweek to improve employees' mental health.

What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

"A 4-day workweek has been associated with several benefits, including improved productivity, better employee wellbeing, and increased job satisfaction, with a current trial testing the 100:80:100 model involving over 3300 workers at 70 companies."

Title:

Content: Interest in the four-day week has been on the rise in recent years with the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating the shift in how businesses organise their teams while employees are looking a6t how to achieve a better work life balance.

Currently, more than 3300 workers at 70 companies are working a four-day week with no loss of pay in the biggest ever four-day week pilot to take place anywhere in the world.

They are more than half way through the six-month trial, which started on June 6. It is based on the principle of the 100:80:100 model - 100% of the pay for 80% of the time, in exchange for a commitment to maintain at least 100% productivity.

Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, one of the organisations behind the campaign, said: “Companies should embrace the four-day week as a way of boosting productivity, improving wellbeing and to help with job retention. The 9-5, 5 day working week is outdated and no longer fit for purpose.”

At BusinessLive, we've been covering the trend for a number of years and for this article, we check in with firms from right across the UK to see how it's going.

From early adopters to businesses that have made the change in recent months, we find out how things are working out from both a business and employee perspective.

The responses are honest and explain the pros and cons.

We firmly believe the four-day week is the future of working life

Atom Bank

Durham

Challenger bank Atom last November became the largest UK business to move all employees to a four-day working week, with no change of salary.
The Durham business, which now has 480 staff, made the shift in recognition of people having longer working lives, the positive impact of technology, flexible working and the need to live and work more sustainably.
More than six months on, Atom has seen a noticeable positive impact that the shift has had on employees, customer service, and operations.

Anne-Marie Lister, chief people officer at Atom, said: “Over six months on from introducing our new four-day working week, it’s clear that it has been a huge success for our business and our people.
“People are rightly looking for a healthier work/life balance, and despite warnings from some sceptics, our metrics and people surveys show that this has not had a negative impact on employees or customer service. In fact, it has been the opposite, with happier, more efficient, and more productive people who are even more driven to help us change banking for the better.
“We firmly believe the four-day week is the future of working life and it is encouraging to now see the range of businesses across the UK embracing the four-day week trials."

One objective was to attract and retain talent more effectively and data reveals this has been a success, having seen a 500% surge in job applications following its launch.
Headcount has grown from 461 in November 2021 to 480 in June 2022, thanks also to a reduction in the number of departures. Atom said this has been vital, with the fight for talent becoming fiercely competitive following the widespread adoption of hybrid working following the pandemic.
Productivity levels have also been measured by each department, with metrics specific to each of the 10 departments. Data collated for the six months to April reveals that across all of the 165 departmental metrics tracked, the success rate has improved.
Employees are also more motivated working a four-day week too. Almost all (92%) report that they look forward to work, and there has been a 13% increase in people engagement between February 2022 and 12 months earlier. Days lost to sickness have also declined since the introduction of the new working structure, dropping from 100 in the month of November 2021, to 72 in June 2022.
Meanwhile, in terms of Atom’s impact on customer service, its Trust Pilot score has risen from 4.54 at the start of the new working structure to 4.82 in June.

What do Atom employees say?

As to how staff members use their time off, Paul, contact centre team leader, said: “I’ve been using my extra day off to do an advanced motorcyclist course so I can volunteer for Northumbria Blood Bikes as a rider, transporting blood from surgeries to hospitals.”
Jonathon, telephone business development manager, said: “The four-day working week has allowed me to spend some quality time with my three year old son Jack. Spending our time in the best soft plays & swimming pools Sunderland has to offer, before dropping him off & picking him up from nursery. Without this day off, I would rarely be able to have this quality time together during the week.”

In short, I’ve been a dad

Merthyr Valleys Homes

Merthyr Tydfil

Merthyr Valley Homes adopted a 30-hour week in the four day working week pilot scheme without loss of pay.

Some staff member are working a four day week and some are working shorter hours over five days to ensure service provision over five days.

The biggest challenge for the firm has been finding ways to work differently while ensuring services aren’t impacted, however it has tried out new approaches during the pilot and says it has found “some very quick wins”.

A spokesperson said: “We have been working on how best to measure success and we are developing a number of new performance measures as a direct result of participating in the trial.”

A positive outcome has been the cooperation between teams and directorates.

“The conversations around how to work more efficiently have been really interesting and it has given everyone a reason to take the time to look at this collectively.”

The company has also seen support for the scheme from its stakeholders and the housing sector in Wales, and has attracted a wide range of candidates to apply for its job vacancies.

Of the advice it would give to other businesses thinking of moving to a four day week, the firm says: “Don’t be too prescriptive and set too many rules - our colleagues have been our greatest asset in designing their own solutions.”

The employee perspective

Ross Williams is the tenant engagement lead for Merthyr Valleys Homes.

The 42-year-old, who is married with 2 children, says the four day working week has hugely improved his work-life balance.

“I feel working 80% of the hours has increased my output. And I realise that a huge reason for this is because of what I choose to do with the other 20%,” he said.

During his non-working day on a Thursday, Mr Williams says he will fit in some early morning exercise or catch up with friends before picking up his 3-year-old son from nursery at 11am. He will also collect his daughter from school.

“In short, I’ve been a dad,” he said. “I’ve been guilty in the past of prioritising work over family and I’m determined to ensure this time remains a space where I get to enjoy some of the simple pleasures.”

During work hours, Mr Williams says the four day working week pilot has also provided some real work benefits and encouraged practical changes within the business.

In meetings, he says discussions are pertinent and decisions are reached “as quickly as possible saving time for myself and colleagues”.

He said: “I feel so much more productive knowing that my work is planned, my non-working day is factored in and my diary ensures my team can access me to ensure they are able to retain the same level of productivity,” he said.

“I think I am more productive, more focused and more content in my role. I have become much more well prepared for the time off that the four day week gives me.”

You couldn’t pay me enough to go back to five days

Marketing Signals

Altrincham

Marketing Signals, moved to a four-day working week in May with staff working 32-hours with no loss of pay.

When Managing Director Gareth Hoyle explained the reasons behind his decision on Linkedin, his post went viral and he was inundated with questions from other business bosses keen to do the same.

Mr Hoyle said he is excited to be part of a new model of work.

"It focuses on quality not quantity and will revolutionise the future of work. A good work/life balance is the key to a happy and healthy workforce which leads to loyalty, ultimately helping our business grow.

“My motto has always been ‘don’t live to work and don’t work to live’, and if COVID-19 has taught us anything, it’s that it’s important we look after ourselves first. It’s important that my staff feel valued and understand life outside of work is just as important."

What do staff say?

Web developer and dad to a newborn Jack Darracott says that a shift to a four-day working week has transformed his life and made him more productive at work.

He works smarter, not harder, and the extra day off allows him to spend more time with his newborn son.

He said: “Since moving to the four-day working week, I’ve been able to spend more quality time with my son, and experience all of the first milestones that I would have missed out on had I been working a full week.”

The catalyst for the move to a four-day week came from the rise in cost of living, which led to Jack asking for a change in working hours due to rising childcare costs.

Jack explains: “The new model has also helped save money as I now don’t have to spend more of my wages on additional childcare fees. This is especially important with the rise in the cost of living. The extra day off also offers breathing room for any curve balls that life may throw at me.”

The four-day trial was met with some scepticism as many people questioned whether it would actually work. However, Jack says it has improved his productivity and efficiency, and that he even feels more energised when he’s back in.

Jack said: adds: “Not only has it helped with my home life, but my work has also improved. My day off serves as a ‘reset day’, so when I’m back in I can look at work with a fresh pair of eyes and I feel more refreshed.”

“You couldn’t pay me enough to go back to five days.”

There have been a number of lessons along the way

Tyler Grange

London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Exeter and Cirencester

The landscape planning, ecology and arboriculture consultancy became the first in its industry to sign up to the UK pilot in June. Its 80-strong nationwide team does not work Fridays with no loss of income.

The firm is reporting promising results producing the same amount of work so far during the pilot - from June to August – as it did in the same period last year. This is a measurement ratio of productive time versus direct costs, which means the company is, as planned, 100% productive in 80% of the time.

At the pilot’s halfway point, Simon Ursell, Managing Director at Tyler Grange, shares his seven key pieces of advice on how to make the transition from five to four as seamless – and successful - as possible.

Preparation is vital

I can’t stress enough how important it is to prepare for the switch from five working days to four. To enjoy a better work-life balance and to have more time to spend doing what we love. This just can’t be switched on overnight.

Talk to your clients and customers

The most common concern, of course, was ‘what if we need you on a Friday?’ but the vast majority congratulated us for showing such innovation, yet again, and are keen to be kept up to date on how it’s going.

Talk to your team and be ready to realise that a four-day working week isn’t for everyone

It’s essential to engage with your team but it’s also important to realise that working a four-day week isn’t for everyone.

Once the pilot began, and we became more accustomed to our new systems and way of working – which removed lots of lengthy admin and unnecessary meetings and reporting from our day - they soon got their heads around it.

Take different job roles and departments into consideration

Some of our work is very seasonal so, for those teams that are very busy during summertime, we’ve delayed the implementation of some new processes until the autumn.

You need to give people time to learn how to work differently – and it may not be the same for everyone.

If you’re looking to sell your business, a four-day week might not be for you

We used to receive a number of approaches by companies looking to buy us. But interesting, since trialling the four-day week, they’ve stopped.

So, for any potential owners who are sceptical that cutting hours could increase productivity, working a four-day week probably feels like too great a gamble to get locked into.

Bite the bullet and only have one company-wide day off

In some companies, the potential impact of the four-day week is being mitigated by covering all days but with reduced colleagues. We wouldn’t recommend this, despite it perhaps seeming to be an easier option at first.

It can sometimes be more intense and tiring

Most jobs are intense from time to time, and we know that working four days rather than five can exacerbate this on occasions. The adoption of our Alertness App – means we can get a real handle on any tiredness early and can react straight away.

Mr Ursell said: “I’d be surprised if we don’t adopt a permanent four-day working week post-pilot, but we still have three months to go.

“The UK has an unhealthy culture where it is seen as a badge of honour to be work all the time, the brilliant talent that we want to attract at all levels of the organisation - don’t want to be defined by a burnout life."

The worker's point of view

Helen Brittain, 54, is an administrator at Tyler Grange.

She lives with her husband, her son and daughter-in-law, and her two grandchildren - Henrietta, 5, and Florence, 7, - as well as their two dogs.

Helen said her productivity has improved enormously and the new working processes and systems encourage me help her to plan better.

She said: “In the past, work -life balance was always a bit of an issue for me. I felt like a two-day weekend didn’t enable me to enjoy enough of a homelife or to do necessary chores.

Now she is able to get on with chores and care for her grandchildren and find some time for herself.

She said: “I’ve also recently embarked on my own self-learning journey around mental health, as well as looking after my psychical health by working with a personal trainer and nutritionist.

“All of this is having enormous benefits on my personal health and wellbeing, which then has a real impact on my workplace performance and productivity.”

We're more productive and creative than ever before

Accu

Huddersfield

A Huddersfield-based tech-based firm that introduced a permanent four-day week to all 100 staff four months ago say the move has paid massive dividends.

Accu, which designs, manufactures and distributes engineering components worldwide, says it has seen a major boost in productivity, job applications, turnover, and orders from customers.

The firm's policy with no reduction in pay or obligation for staff to make the hours up.

From April-July, Accu has created 20 new jobs – a 25% increase in headcount. The number of applications per role has skyrocketed. One role, which previously got 40 applications, subsequently got 200 – a 400% increase. Similar numbers are being experienced across all vacancies.

Simultaneously, productivity is up, as the time it takes to respond to customer enquiries has improved by 46%. Order numbers and average values have increased by 15%, boosting turnover by 10% (quarter-on-quarter), meaning Accu is on track to hit £12m-plus turnover this year.

Company co-founder, Martin Ackroyd told YorkshireLive: "Giving people more personal time to enjoy the things they love has increased motivation, decreased the risk of burnout and has driven a renewed sense of purpose in our mission to help our customers build a better tomorrow. As a result, we're more productive and creative than ever before."

What do staff say?

Some staff have used their new spare time to pursue personal interests, such as home renovation and the arts, whilst others have used it to spend more time with their family or save on childcare costs.

Matt Ogden, community manager, said: "The longer weekends are very well received. With a longer break, it personally provides me with freedom to travel to London to enjoy and take part in the performing arts. In general, everyone feels more chilled, upbeat, happy, and refreshed.

"In terms of the business, we have seen a benefit across all areas – it was definitely a sound business decision."

Every Friday I enjoy not setting an alarm

Chilwell Products

Ilkeston, Derbyshire

Staff at the manufacturer of end bands for scaffold boards previously worked 39 hours over five days but this was reduced earlier this year by five hours, with all staff on duty Monday to Thursday.

Laura Clarke, managing director, said investment in new machinery improved overall capacity while giving back time to the team."

She said: "Initially, there were concerns around how our move would be received by customers but, when we ran our trial period, we managed to maintain lead times despite operating for five hours fewer.

"Many customers and suppliers have praised our move, even going as far to ask if they can have a job here.

She said the atmosphere at work had improved and there was something 'incredibly smug' about knowing you were halfway through the week on a Tuesday while team members had more autonomy over their lives and how they spent their free time, with some taking extra work elsewhere.

The hard numbers for the firm's manufacturing volumes and the first two financial quarters are positive despite the drop in hours.

She said: "I would advise others thinking of doing this to brainstorm, speak to various people within teams, gather information and look at the business from as many different angles as possible.

"It might not be something you can do in the next few months or even this year but you could start to make changes.

"Businesses need to think outside the box, we need to be innovative as we shape the working landscape moving forward."

How's work been?

Nicholas Wall is a 28-year-old toolroom assistant and press operator at Chilwell Products.

"It's nice to finish the working week on Thursday knowing you'll come in on Monday to a fresh slate.

"This also makes me feel like I'm giving something back to the company as I appreciate they've given us more time to spend however I want."

Nicholas said that, in previous roles with other employers, he felt he was rushing his evenings and weekends but had grown accustomed to it and had not noticed the effect this was having on him.

He added: "Only now that I'm more relaxed do I realise how frantic and pressured my personal life was.

"Every Friday I enjoy not setting an alarm, naturally waking up then heading to the gym to get a workout in and get it out the way."

It's not an easy process, but one we're proud we took the time to implement

City to Sea

Bristol

Bristol-based environmental organisation City to Sea has moved to a four-day working week without any reduction in pay for staff.

The community interest company employs 19 people, who are all now working a 32-hour week, but are being paid the same salary as when they worked for five days. The organisation, which campaigns to reduce plastic pollution, confirmed the move after running a four-day week trial over six months, and receiving positive feedback from staff. Now, every employee has Friday off.

Natalie Fee, chief executive and founder, said the top three challenges of implementing the four-day week were staff members feeling overstretched, managing work patterns and difficulties adjusting to reduced hours.

“We also found calculations around bank holidays and implications of those weeks being three days difficult to navigate,” she said.

However, she said the positives were staff motivation and increased wellbeing.

“It creates a much more balanced, healthier working environment and has resulted in increased staff engagement and staff retention. It's not an easy process, but one we're proud we took the time to test and implement.”

On the frontline

Steve Hynd, policy manager at City to Sea, who is 36 and is married with two children under five, says the move has been “completely transformative”.

“It’s not just the four days a week but also offering flexible working, having a really supportive line manager, and a host of other positive HR policies. This all combined is allowing me to spend more time with my two young kids, giving back to my community as a local district councillor and crucially (and very rarely) even having a bit of time for myself. It has removed the sense of being constantly over-stretched and has improved my mental and physical health significantly.”

Read more of our coverage on the four-day week:

A 4-day workweek can have benefits such as improved productivity, better employee wellbeing, and cost savings, as seen in the example of Atom Bank, which implemented the change and saw positive impacts on employees and operations.

A 4-day workweek is associated with several benefits, including improved productivity, better employee wellbeing, and increased job satisfaction, as well as cost savings, improved work-life balance, and reduced stress.

What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

The employees were happier
The productivity  increased

What did a survey on 4-day workweek conducted in Hong Kong show?

61% of respondents said employers could implement a four-day workweek to improve employees' mental health.

What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

Increase in employee and customer satisfaction.

The UK four-day workweek trial involved 3,300 workers from 70 companies, who worked 80% of their normal hours with no reduction in pay.

The UK four-day workweek trial involves more than 3,300 workers from 70 companies, with the participants maintaining their full pay while working 80% of their original time, aiming for at least 100% productivity.

The UK four-day workweek trial involved 3,300 workers from 70 companies, who were paid in full for working four days a week.

Title:

Content: The authorities of Germany and the Dominican Republic from February 1 launched a pilot program to transfer employees to a reduced working week.
In 2019, such an idea was put forward by the then head of the Russian government, Dmitry Medvedev.
What they think about the transition to four-day in Russia and the world - in the material RTVI.
In Russia
Yaroslav Nilov, Head of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans Affairs
Commenting on the possibility of transferring Russians to a four-day working week, Yaroslav Nilov recalled that this initiative in 2019 was made by the then Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev.
The deputy called the initiative implemented, but not in the near future and not for all spheres and industries.
“For someone there is already a four-day period, especially after the pandemic, after the practice of remote, mixed employment, we have workers who have not a five-day period, but a four-day period, and someone has a three-day period.
The most important thing is that there is no need to impose anything hard in the sphere of labor, no need to introduce strict regulations, no amendments.
Everything should be natural, synergistic and evolutionary.
This is a multifaceted issue, and the labor market should itself line up - taking into account new technologies, artificial intelligence, optimization solutions, "he said.
According to him, the task of reducing the working week is to make people rest more without reducing labor productivity and wages.
“It should be beneficial for both the employee and the employer.
If you shift the four-day period to the employer, this will lead to higher prices, to the closure of enterprises, and an increase in unemployment.
We don't need that.
If you do not shift, then this can lead to a loss in the salary of employees, especially since there is a piecework form of employment - payment depends on the volume of services provided or goods produced, "Nilov explained.
Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council
In 2019, former Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced the possibility of switching to a four-day working week during his speech at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the International Labour Organization.
“Technological progress leads to a reduction not only of jobs, but also of working time, to the expansion of leisure.
It is very likely that the future lies in a four-day working week as the basis of a social and labor contract, "Medvedev said.
Tatyana Golikova, Deputy Prime Minister
After Dmitry Medvedev ’ s statement, Tatyana Golikova said that the government is “analyzing the situation ” in the labor market as part of a discussion of the possible introduction of a four-day working week.
“These four days are just a possible response to the changing world of challenges, when some professions will die, others will come to replace them, ” she said.
According to Golikova, as a result of global digitalization in the future, the need for a large number of labor resources to be occupied “in a particular workplace ” may disappear.
She also noted that in implementing the transition to a shorter working week, it will be necessary to take into account the level of wages and social guarantees.
“What kind of salary they will receive: the same as when they were occupied for five days or a little more, or in a reduced form, the question remains open here, ” she explained.
Anton Kotyakov, Minister of Labour and Social Protection
Speaking about the possibility of shortening the working week, Anton Kotyakov said in 2021 that he considers the idea of switching to a four-day schedule irrelevant.
“Given the flexible forms of employment that we have now provided in the Labor Code, the need to switch to a four-day working week is mandatory for today is irrelevant, ” he said.
According to the minister, thanks to the spread of remote employment, employers have the opportunity to form a flexible schedule.
“And if necessary, you can do four-day work in the office, and three-day, and a couple of days with a certain mode of remote work, you can work because of the city, ” he said.
Valery Fadeev, Head of the Presidential Council on Civil Society Development and Human Rights
In 2021, Valery Fadeev said that he has nothing against reducing the working week, but recalled that the salary of more than half of working Russians is about 27 thousand rubles per month, and urged to think about increasing this amount.
“Work has come to be seen as a burden and as a yoke.
But in fact, work is almost the main thing in a person ’ s life.
A person should live for the sake of family, for the sake of children, for the sake of doing something in life.
Work should bring joy to man.
I can ’ t say that we have such a situation now in our country that everyone can find a job in joy.
Unfortunately, this is not the case, ” he stressed.
Mikhail Shmakov, Head of the Federation of Independent Trade Unions
Answering a question about the transfer of companies to a four-day schedule, Mikhail Shmakov said in 2023 that representatives of the trade union movement supported the idea of reducing the working week in Russia to 36 hours only while maintaining wages for employees.
At the same time, he suggested that in the conditions of a shortage in the labor market, this idea may not be relevant.
Svetlana Bessarab, member of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans Affairs
In November 2023, Svetlana Bessarab promised to make a proposal to switch to a 36-hour working week after the completion of the military operation in Ukraine.
“I can promise that after the end of the SVO and our victory, I will make a proposal to reduce the working week to 36 hours without reducing wages.
This is how rural women now work: they have the right to a shorter working week with the same salary.
And, as practice has shown, we do not lose anything in productivity, ” she said.
In August 2023, Bessarab called for “talking seriously ” about the transition to a four-day working week.
In particular, she drew attention to the fact that labor productivity has increased many times thanks to the introduction of digital technologies, while workers continue to be treated the same way as 50 years ago.
In the world
Iceland
In 2021, the British research center Autonomy called the results of an experiment to shorten the working week in Iceland a “stunning success ”.
As part of this experiment, the working week of 2.5 thousand municipal employees was reduced by 4-5 hours, and those who worked five days a week had another day off.
Autonomy, in particular, praised performance and service delivery in most of the workplaces tested, where employees began to show a higher level of enthusiasm and also began to get more pleasure from the work process.
“As a result, about 86% of the working population will be able to switch to a reduced working schedule or demand a reduction in working hours, ” the study says.
Belgium
Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Cros said in 2022 that citizens of the country can require their employers to transfer to a reduced working week.
In case of refusal to provide them with such an opportunity, the employer must justify his decision in writing.
“The goal is to allow people and companies to more freely manage their working hours.
If you compare our country with other countries, you will notice that we often act much less dynamically, ” he said.
Britannia
The largest experiment on the transfer of workers to a reduced working week began in Britain in June 2022.
As part of the experiment, 3,300 employees from 70 companies were given the opportunity to work four days a week with full pay.
For the participants of the experiment, a “100: 80: 100 ” model was developed, according to which 80% of working time is paid at 100%, and employees in return agree to show 100% productivity.
“We will study how project participants respond to the extra day off in terms of stress and burnout, life and work satisfaction, as well as overall health, sleep quality, energy expenditure, range of movements and a host of other aspects, ” explained Boston College sociology professor Juliet Shore, who leads the project ’ s research team.
In 2023, sociologists at the University of Cambridge recognized the results of the experiment as successful.
In their study, they pointed out that employees who worked four days a week had significantly reduced levels of stress and illness, as well as increased levels of loyalty to employers.
At the same time, the revenues of the companies that decided to take part in the experiment did not show a significant decrease, and 23 of them even noted a slight increase, the average figure of which was 1.4%.
Spain
In October 2023, a commission of independent experts evaluated the results of a test experiment for the introduction of a four-day working week in the Spanish city of Valencia, in which 360 thousand employees took part.
Experts pointed to a reduction in stress levels, as well as an improvement in the atmosphere by reducing the number of vehicles on the streets of the city.
Representatives of the tourism sector reported that during the experiments, they had increased the flow of customers, while retail chains noted a decrease in sales.
“We want the city to be friendly, healthy and take care of people.
We want people to work to live, not to live to work, ” said the mayor of the city, Joan Ribeau, at the start of the experiment.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic was the first Latin American country to experiment with a four-day work week.
The experiment, which began on February 1, 2024, will last six months.
According to the government, it will last six months – for three months, employees will work on a reduced schedule and receive 100% of their wages, and for the next three months a special commission will collect and analyze information to understand how this change has affected the country ’ s economy.
The experiment was initiated by the Minister of Labor Luis Miguel de Camps.
He stressed that he considers the reduction of the working week not only an innovation in the labor market, but also a significant step towards a more harmonious and humane society.
“Priority is given to people, improving health and well-being, and promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly productivity, ” the official added.
Germany
In September 2023, Germany opened the reception of applications from organizations ready to take part in the experiment to shorten the working week.
Despite the statement of the Minister of Finance of the country Christian Lindner, who questioned the possibility of switching to a four-day working week, 45 companies in test mode transferred their employees to the new schedule from February 1, 2024.
German authorities have agreed to an experiment with a shortened working week amid a crisis associated with rising inflation and a shortage of trained personnel.
As Bloomberg notes, these factors led to the fact that German workers began to actively seek higher wages, as well as to fight for the flexibility and independence that they received during the pandemic.

More than 3,000 employees participated in the UK four-day workweek trial.

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Wouldn’t it be nice if the weekends were just a little longer?

A study is currently being conducted to determine if employees benefit more from four-day work weeks.

A movement named 4-Day Week Global has launched an experiment in Britain. For the past few months, thousands of employees have worked four days per week.

Even if there are only four days instead of five, the employees are still paid the same and expected to complete the same amount of work. The largest experiment of its sort has reportedly been conducted.

CNN reports that several employees say the new timetable has changed their lives. Everything from chores and errands to rest and relaxation is done on that extra day. But that does not imply that everything has gone smoothly.

Working fewer days means doing more work in a shorter amount of time.

The planned duration of this experiment is six months. The study includes 70 businesses and more than 3,000 employees. Researchers from Boston College, Oxford University, and Cambridge University are participating in the study.

The involved companies will decide whether to keep the shorter work week in November.

Read the full story here.

The UK four-day workweek trial involves more than 3,300 workers who will work 80% of their hours for 100% of their pay.

Title:

Content: LONDON, England (WTVO) — Over 70 companies in Britain began a six-month trial of a four-day work week on Monday.

According to The New York Times, the trial was organized by several nonprofit groups to study the impact of labor on well-being. Researchers at Cambridge, Oxford, and Boston College will analyze the results on productivity and quality of life for a report due in 2023.

“We’ll be analyzing how employees respond to having an extra day off, in terms of stress and burnout, job and life satisfaction, health, sleep, energy use, travel, and many other aspects of life,” lead researcher Juliet Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College, said.

More than 3,300 workers will work 80% of their hours for 100% of their pay, according to The Washington Post.

The test comes as employers face dwindling labor, which has been referred to as The Great Resignation.

According to a report from Destination Analysts, more than two-thirds of American workers feel at least moderately burned out.

"Multiple companies have successfully adopted a four-day workweek, citing benefits such as increased productivity and improved work-life balance, with some implementing the 100:80:100 model."

What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

"Multiple companies, such as Atom Bank and Microsoft, have successfully implemented a four-day workweek, resulting in improved employee well-being, productivity, and customer service, while also promoting sustainable living and work-life balance."

What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

"Atom Bank has successfully transitioned to a four-day workweek, resulting in increased productivity and employee motivation, and is one of several companies to have adopted this trend."

"A four-day workweek has been successfully implemented by various companies, resulting in increased productivity and improved work-life balance, but requires careful consideration of implementation challenges."

What challenges will the companies with diverse workforce have for implementing 4-day workweek??

Complicated to roll out for large companies

What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

Several companies, including tech and finance firms, have successfully transitioned to a four-day workweek, potentially improving employee well-being and productivity.

What did a survey on 4-day workweek conducted in Hong Kong show?

61% of respondents said employers could implement a four-day workweek to improve employees' mental health.

What has the implementation 4-day wrokweek in Dubai, UAE indicated?

Studies and trials on the 4-day workweek have been conducted in several countries including the UK, Spain, Iceland, the US, Canada, and others, with more countries like Australia and New Zealand expected to join.

Title:

Content: The biggest experience of its kind in the world.
Britain tests work 4 days a week – Al Manar TV – Lebanon
Lebanese Media Group
Al Manar Channel
The biggest experience of its kind in the world.
The UK is testing four days a week.
In the UK, there is a widespread test of just four days a week instead of five, at a time when more companies are accepting workers on a four-day basis.
Lewis Bloomsfield is a Brit who works four days a week, has more time to spend with his family, and is thinking about doing volunteer work or even acquiring new skills, he says enthusiastically: “There are a lot of things I can do on an extra day off, ” according to Agence France-Presse.
The experiment, the largest ever in the world, aims to help companies reduce working hours without cutting salaries or slowing down the production cycle.
Countries such as Spain, Iceland, the United States and Canada have had similar experiences, and Australia and New Zealand are expected to join the group in August.
Alex Sojong-Kim Bang, project manager at 4DayWeek Global (4 working days a week), the organiser of the trials, said testing in Britain for six months would give companies time to test the system and collect data, adding that SMEs adapt more easily, as they can make big changes faster.
The Royal Institution for Biology, which is also taking part in the test, said it aims to give its employees more independence and hopes that the reduction in working days will attract new workers and keep the best employees in its ranks, especially in a stressful job market in the UK.
The unemployment rate in Saudi Arabia was at its lowest level in nearly 50 years at 3.7%, and job offers reached a record 1.3 million jobs.
Aidan Harper, one of the authors of The Case for a Four Day Week, argues that countries that adopt this system are more productive, noting that Greece is one of the European countries that rely on the longest hours of work versus the weakest productivity.
Phil McBerlein, founder of 4dayweek.io, a platform that specialises in flexible working and 4-days-a-week jobs, sees a shorter work week as a lucrative option for organizations and workers alike and speaks of a “superhuman ability to hire. ”
The platform confirms that the number of companies willing to hire on a four-day basis has quadrupled over the past two years, reflecting the increasing adoption of hybrid work and the quest to improve quality of life, two years after the Corona epidemic.
Source: Arabi Post

"Studies and trials on the 4-day workweek have been conducted in several countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Japan, and others, with the UK hosting the world's biggest trial."

Studies and trials on the 4-day workweek have been conducted in several countries, with the UK being one of them, where it has shown positive outcomes in terms of work-life balance and productivity.

What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

Studies and trials on the 4-day workweek have been conducted or discussed in various countries including the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Japan, Iceland, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales, and Spain, as part of a global trend towards reevaluating work schedules for improved productivity and work-life balance.

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Down with five days?
24.11.2022 17: 30
The transition to a four-day working week is widely discussed around the world.
There are several reasons: the impact of the pandemic, economic problems, shortage of personnel, supply disruptions, etc.
There is another difficulty: the “culture of vanity ” that has developed in recent years, when work dominates other aspects of human life, which leads to the“ burnout ” of workers.
All of the above has led to the fact that many business owners today believe that a four-day working week is an effective solution in order to cope with problems.
So, in 2021, 27% of American businessmen (owners of companies) out of 1,300 respondents said that they had already transferred their employees to such a schedule, and 35% were going to do so in the near future.
Assuming that such statistics are representative of business in the US as a whole, it means that at least a quarter of all companies are already operating under the new scheme: four days a week instead of five.
However, the phrase “four-day work week ” does not necessarily mean that the company actually works only four out of five working days, and on the other days its employees do not go on calls and do not answer phone calls.
It can mean that the employee of the company works, for example, 30 hours instead of the standard 40.
In any case, judging by the results of the survey, most business owners believe that this approach has huge advantages.
Mainly because it increases employee satisfaction.
Those stop thinking that they live only for the sake of work, become more motivated, increase the productivity of their work, reduce the turnover of personnel.
Of the 35% of business owners who are considering switching to a shorter work week, 84% believe that such a schedule will give them some (48%) or a significant (36%) advantage over competitors.
And half of those who have already switched to four days of work instead of five, say that they have already received this advantage.
Experts believe that this approach is applicable to any type of activity, including installation companies.
However, there is no official data that at least one integrator firm in the United States really adheres to this practice.
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"Studies and trials on the 4-day workweek have been conducted in several countries, including the UK, US, Canada, Ireland, Japan, and others, with some trials showing major benefits to productivity and employee health."

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Four-Day Workweek Trial Proved So Successful Many UK Firms Will Retain It as New Policy

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It's one of the largest trials to put a four-day workweek to the test. The non-profit firm invited companies to either shorten their employees’ workweeks by giving them one day a week off or reducing their work hours to 32 hours per week, while still paying their employees the same salary or wage as before the trial.
Newly released study results have suggested it might finally be time to implement a four-day work week after a trial revealed the shift provided major benefits to general productivity and employee health.
The trial, which took place in the United Kingdom, involved nearly 3,000 employees and was organized by the not-for-profit group 4 Day Week Global (alongside the research group Autonomy and researchers with Boston College and the University of Cambridge).
Some 61 British businesses including banks, fast-food restaurants and marketing agencies participated in the trial.
Analyzing the study findings, officials determined the businesses found a sharp decline in the number of employees wanting to quit, while about 46% of companies said their business productivity remained the same, and 34% reported a slight improvement in productivity. Another 15% of employers reported a significant improvement in productivity.
One company, Trio Media, reported a 47% increase in revenue from the year-earlier period. The chief executive of the company, Claire Daniels, said she would continue the trial for another six months before making a permanent switch, but added she didn’t “see [the company] going back to a typical five-days-a-week model.”
Overall on a scale of 0 (very negative) to 10 (very positive) employers scored the productivity and performance of their employees at 7.5 after six months of a shortened workweek. At least 18 businesses from the study said they planned to make the shorter workweek permanent, while 56 of the 61 companies said they would continue testing the shortened work shifts even after the trial ended.
Just three companies said they would not pursue a shortened workweek.
About 15% of employees who participated in the trial said that “no amount of money” could convince them to return to a five-day workweek, as employees reported better sleep, lower stress levels, and improved personal lives and mental health.
“At the beginning, this was about pandemic burnout for a lot of employers. Now it’s more of a retention and recruitment issue for many of them,” explains Juliet Schor, an economist and sociologist at Boston College whose team helped conduct the study.
A separate study from October 2021 found that in a survey of over 1,000 Americans, 98% of respondents said a four-day workweek would improve their mental health, nine out of 10 people said that a five-day workweek was outdated and almost 80% of respondents said the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged their desire for a shortened workweek.
Three out of four respondents in that another study also said they would consider leaving their current job if they were offered a position with a four-day workweek. And a Gallup Report from 2019 revealed that high turnover rates cost US businesses $1 trillion in voluntary turnover per year.
Opponents argue that a shortened workweek would not be suitable for every field of work including child care and health care, both of which are experience widespread staff shortages as nurses in England have gone on strike after struggling to secure increased wages from their government.
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The 4-day workweek trial in the UK involves 70 companies with over 3,300 workers, who will work 80% of their normal hours with no reduction in pay.

61 UK companies participated in the 4-day workweek trial, which involved nearly 3,000 employees and showed positive results in terms of productivity and employee retention.

61 UK companies participated in the 4-day workweek trial.

Title:

Content: UK companies test "4-day working week" workers generally agree that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages 51% permanent implementation
Author: Zhang Zijie
Published: Updated:
A number of UK companies are participating in a four-day workweek pilot scheme in the second half of 2022, with media reporting that most of the participating companies continue to allow employees to work fewer hours per week, and more than half of the companies have made the arrangement a regular measure.
The United Kingdom has 61 companies from marketing, professional services, non-profit organizations, construction, manufacturing, retail, health care, art and other industries, employees from June to December 2022, participate in the four-day work week, pay and performance of the same trial.
British citizens walk through the Canary Wharf Financial District on August 3, 2023. (Reuters)
As of the end of 2023, at least 89% of participating companies continued to maintain the measure, and at least 51% permanently implemented the measure, according to a report published by Autonomy, a think-tank that conducted the research.
The study found that shortening work hours generally benefits employees and businesses, who feel that their mental and physical health has improved, as well as a better balance between work and life, a better life, and less fatigue from work.
In addition, the managers and CEOs of the 28 participating companies unanimously agreed that the four-day work week has had a positive impact on the company, reducing staff wastage, significantly improving recruitment, and benefiting employees physically and mentally.
Sixty-one companies from different industries in the UK piloted a four-day work week in 2022, and the results were generally positive.
People enjoy a view of the City of London on 23 September 2023.
(Reuters)
The study, which listed a number of ways to maintain a four-day work week, including safety changes such as meetings, workplace communication, and work priorities, found that the improvements felt by employees continued for a year after the trial ended.
Researchers at Boston College, Cambridge, and Oxford University believe that the key to the strength of the data is not the rare or short-term impact, but the real and long-term impact.
Therefore, the four-day work week is not a flash in the sky, and British companies have succeeded in turning it into a permanent and effective measure.
Is the overall efficiency of returning less than one day of work declining instead of rising?
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"70 UK companies participated in the 4-day workweek trial, involving 3,300 employees who worked four days a week with full pay."

The 4-day workweek trial in the UK involved 70 companies.

A 4-day workweek trial was conducted in the United Kingdom, involving nearly 3,000 employees from 61 British businesses, and the results showed improvements in productivity and employee retention.

A 4-day workweek trial was conducted in the UK, involving over 60 companies and 3,000 employees, with the majority of companies planning to continue or adopt the policy.

Title:

Content: How about four days a week instead of five?
Here are the results of an exciting experiment involving 60 companies around the world.
More than 60 companies participated in the experiment, allowing around 3,000 employees to work one day less per week while retaining the same salary.
Rates of stress, burnout and fatigue all fell, while problems with sleep declined, the study shows.
Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
MAIN POINTS
• The study found that more than 9 out of 10 companies will continue to shorten the work week or plan to do so
• Productivity was not affected by lighter work weeks, with the company ’ s revenue increasing by an average of 1.4 per cent over the trial period
The study also found that employment increased and absenteeism decreased.
A four-day workweek is more productive for most employees and businesses than the traditional five-day workweek, and is one of the largest trials ever conducted in the UK.
More than 60 companies in the UK participated in the trial over a six-month period, allowing around 3,000 employees to work one day less per week while retaining the same salary.
The trial was conducted between June and December and was organized by a nonprofit group called 4 Day Week Global in collaboration with the Autonomy Research Center, the University of Cambridge, and Boston College in the United States.
The experience is described as the largest in the world around working four days a week.
The survey released on Tuesday found that more than nine out of 10 companies would continue to adopt or plan to do so, while only 4 percent chose not to extend it, regulators said in a statement.
Juliette Shore, a professor at Boston College, said: “The results are largely the same across workplaces of all sizes, demonstrating that this innovation has proven to be effective in many diverse organizations.
Productivity was not affected by shorter working days, with the company ’ s revenue increasing by an average of 1.4% over the trial period.
Revenue jumped 35% on average when compared to similar periods in previous years.
The study also found that employment increased and absenteeism decreased, while the number of resignations dropped sharply during the trial.
In addition, the researchers concluded that overall health and staff well-being improved.
"Significant" increases were also observed in physical and mental health, time spent on exercise, public life and job satisfaction.
Stress, fatigue and fatigue rates have decreased, while sleep problems have decreased.
"Really positive."
Cambridge University professor Brendan Burchell told AFP: “In terms of employees, their mental health improved, they slept better, and they became less stressed.
“But at the same time, companies have stated that if there are changes in their profits or in their performance, they are more likely to go up rather than down. ”
“A lot of people were very happy, people really enjoyed it; and they found it good to have three-day weekends instead of two days. ”
Environmental consultancy Tyler Grange in the UK was among 18 companies that decided to permanently adopt a four-day work week after participating in the trial.
Nathan Jenkinson, customer manager at Tyler Grange, told AFP: “My experience has been really positive, you can see it in people ’ s work and they ’ re more active.
“Employees come to work at the beginning of the week on Monday, after three days off, feel more positive about work and have a lot of energy. ”
Tyler Grange said performance improved slightly despite reduced working hours.
In recent years, studies of the four-day workweek have spread globally as employers explore the nature of post-pandemic work, including the concept of a co-working place that allows more work from home.
Short-week experiments were conducted across Europe, the United States and Canada, as well as in Australia and New Zealand.
However, when asked whether the UK government might adopt the test as a national policy, Prime Minister ’ s spokesman Rishi Sonak sounded cautious and stated, “There are no plans for that. ”
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Published at 22 / 02 / 2023 1: 59pm
Presented by: Nassif Khoury
Source: AFP
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The subject.

The 4-day workweek trial was conducted in the United Kingdom, involving 61 companies across various industries from June to December 2022.

A 4-day workweek trial was conducted in the United Kingdom, specifically in Britain, starting in June 2022.

A 4-day workweek trial was conducted in the UK, involving over 70 companies and 3,300 workers, to study its impact on productivity and well-being.

The United Kingdom has initiated a trial of the four-day workweek, involving 70 companies and over 3,300 workers, with no reduction in pay, as part of a global experiment to assess the benefits and challenges of this work arrangement.

The United Kingdom has implemented a 4-day workweek experiment with over 3300 workers at 70 companies, with no loss of pay, as part of a six-month trial.

The UK has seen a successful implementation of a 4-day workweek experiment, as evidenced by Atom Bank, which shifted all its employees to a four-day week without changing their salaries and observed a positive impact on employees, customer service, and operations.

The UK has seen success with the implementation of a 4-day workweek, with companies like Atom reporting improved productivity and work-life balance.

What did surveys conducted in London before and after the experiment of 4-day workweek  find?

54% of employees had better balance of work and home responsibilities

A survey of 1,113 employers and workers found that 100% of workers prefer a 4-day workweek, indicating a strong support for this model among employees.

Title:

Content: Europe

Majority of employers in India favour four day workweek: Report

With quite a few corporations internationally proposing 4-day
workweek for workers, a report has revealed {that a} majority of
employers in India strongly agree that this mannequin will assist in
decreasing stress degree, Trend experiences citing The Tribune.

Over 60 per cent of the employers strongly agree that the brand new
4-day workweek mannequin might be profitable in uplifting the general
morale of the organisation with job satisfaction and work-life
stability, serving to to cut back stress and nervousness ranges, a report by
HR Solutions Genius Consultants mentioned.

However, 27 per cent of the employers who participated within the
survey mentioned they weren’t certain of its implications on
organisations’ productiveness.

The remaining 11 per cent disagreed with the notion, arguing
that the 4-day work mannequin would neither enhance nor yield any
drastic optimistic outcomes, it mentioned.

The report is predicated on a survey performed on-line amongst 1,113
employers and workers between February 1 and March 7 throughout
sectors, together with banking and finance, building and
engineering, schooling, FMCG, hospitality, HR options, IT, ITES
and BPO, logistics, manufacturing, media, oil and fuel.

The survey discovered that 100 per cent workers are in favour of
the 4-day workweek mannequin.

Further, when employers have been requested if they’re keen to work
past 12 hours to compensate for an additional break day, over 56 per
cent agreed immediately, whereas the remaining 44 per cent of the
respondents weren’t satisfied about stretching their standard working
hours.

Similarly, 60 per cent workers within the survey mentioned they’re
keen to work greater than 12 hours in alternate for one more weekly
off.

Over 66 per cent of respondents strongly believed that the 4-day
week module will assist them enhance their productiveness ranges, the
report mentioned.

The survey additionally revealed that for employers, essentially the most most well-liked
third break day is Friday (52 per cent), adopted by Monday (18 per
cent), Wednesday (18 per cent) and Thursday (11 per cent).

“The new 4-day workweek module has been fairly an attention-grabbing
development that has been more and more adopted by fairly a couple of international locations
and organisations from a standalone perspective. People have been
praising the module for serving to workers handle each their
private and work lives higher. Some really feel the 4-day week mannequin has
enabled them to push their boundaries, contribute and carry out
higher,” mentioned R P Yadav, Genius Consultants CMD.

The module has piqued quite a lot of curiosity and has made few
organisations marvel if they need to take into account adopting the identical for
their firm construction, he added.

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The majority of Irish workers, 95%, prefer a 4-day workweek, indicating a strong interest in this flexible working option.

Title:

Content: WORK IT OUT |

Majority of workers in Ireland want four-day working week

“While the number of employers currently offering a four-day working week is still extremely low, this research suggests that this may change within the next 1- years with employees seeking more appealing and flexible working options.”

Laura LynottIndependent.ie

A massive 95pc of Irish workers approve of a four-day week, according to a new study.

However, only 3.5pc of workplaces have implemented or trialled a four-day working week.

Despite this, 81pc of workers said they believe a four-day working week will become a reality within the next 10 years, according to the survey by recruitment firm Hays.

Hays Ireland director Maureen Lynch said: “While the number of employers currently offering a four-day working week is still extremely low, this research suggests that this may change within the next 10 years with employees seeking more appealing and flexible working options.

“Since the emergence from the pandemic restrictions, employers have begun to reconsider the workplace environment. The switch to remote and hybrid working models has proven hugely successful.

"All professionals have embraced these new ways of working with the four-day working week becoming the latest idea to enhance employers’ differentiation from competitors.

“While the number of employers currently offering a four-day working week is still extremely low, this research suggests that this may change within the next 1- years with employees seeking more appealing and flexible working options.”

The recruitment company surveyed 973 employers and professionals across Ireland and found 73pc of employees would consider moving jobs for a shorter working week. This was a rise of almost 10pc on last year’s figure (64pc).

Only five pc said they would not leave their current role if the option presented itself in another organisation, while 22pc said it would depend on the opportunity.

The majority ( 81pc) felt a four-day week would become a reality within the next decade, with only 19pc stating they felt it would never occur.

Some 88pc of employees already working a four-day week said it has had a positive impact on their professional life. The same number felt it was beneficial to their personal life.

Of those surveyed, the majority said an additional day off would be beneficial, with 89pc believing it would have a positive effect on employee mental health and well-being.

While 59pc thought that working one less day would be beneficial for organisational productivity and one-third felt it would improve employee living standards. Almost half (47pc) thought it would have a benefit on talent attraction and retention.

However 51pc of employers said they are concerned about a potential impact on productivity of a standard four-day working week.

Almost the same number (47pc) said they were not prepared to switch to a four-day week for operational reasons, while 22pc said they could not consider it for financial reasons. Some 20pc of employers were concerned the change could increase pressure on staff.

Hybrid working for five days a week was preferred to a four-day week. Some 55pc of professionals said they would prefer hybrid working for five days compared to 45pc, who would choose to work a four-day week with every day spent in the office.

Most respondents (75pc) said that they would use the extra day for leisure time, including exercise and hobbies. Meanwhile 71pc would spend time on life administration, while 70pc would spend more time with friends and family. Some 44pc would use the time for self-development, such as learning a new language, and 21pc would volunteer.

Last month, the results of a six-month trial involving 61 companies in the UK revealed that 92pc opted to continue working four days when the trial had ended. Reported benefits were said to include improved employee well-being and work-life balance.

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A survey of 2,000 current employees found that 89% of respondents prefer a 4-day workweek, indicating a strong desire for this benefit among employees.

Title:

Content: Survey: Nearly half of employees think four-day workweeks are more important than other benefits
Commercial 10: 00 2023 / 06 / 21
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Professional recruitment consultancy Robert Walters conducted a survey of 2,000 current employees around the world, showing that the four-day workweek poses a hidden danger to employers, with office relationships being the most affected.
Consumer Price Indices Up 2% YoY in May Inflation Remains at 1.8%
According to the survey results, as many as 89% of employees want their employers to implement the four-day work week.
The survey found that a four-day week was the most desirable benefit for job seekers, with 44% saying it was the most attractive in job descriptions, followed by the ability to work anywhere (38%). 46% of employees said they were willing to give up social or even personal relationships with colleagues in the workplace and choose to work four days a week instead.
Only 16% of employees believe that a 10% to 15% pay rise would be more attractive than a 4-day work week.
Other soft benefits, such as social work or free meals, were even less attractive, with only 2% saying they would choose this over the four-day work week.
4-day workweek or affect team centripetal strength
John Mullally, Managing Director of Walters Hong Kong, said that as people ’ s awareness of physical and mental health and work-life balance increased, some companies experimented with a 4.5 day workweek, while others implemented “four days a week ” or“ summer Friday rest ”.
It may be too early to discuss the long-term impact of measures at this stage, but if 46% of employees are willing to give up social and business relationship activities, the company may have to pay for a bad corporate culture.
The survey also found that half of employees who want to work four days a week expect their pay to remain the same. “We believe that the workplace needs to be responsible for the well-being of employees, but employees also have a responsibility to contribute to the success of the business, especially in times of economic uncertainty. ”
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The UK's four-day workweek trial, involving 70 companies and over 3,300 workers, started on 6 June, 2022, with participants working 80% of their normal hours without a reduction in pay.

The UK's four-day workweek trial started on June 6, 2022, and is based on the 100:80:100 model, where employees receive 100% of their pay for working 80% of the time, in exchange for maintaining at least 100% productivity.

The UK's four-day workweek trial started on 6 June, 2022, and involved 61 companies with 2,900 employees, running until December of the same year.

Title:

Content: Most businesses in the UK have not resumed the five-day system after the trial of the four-day working week
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Most of the companies involved in the four-day trial last year did not return to the five-day work system, and a third of the companies are also planning to implement the four-day work system permanently.
The largest four-day trial, involving about 2,900 employees from 61 companies, took place between June and December last year, with only three companies deciding to suspend the trial and two still considering reducing their working hours.
Other companies believe that the four-day work week has brought benefits of increased income, turnover and reduced employee burnout rates.
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The UK's four-day workweek trial began on 6 June, 2022, and lasted for six months.

The UK's four-day workweek trial started in June 2022, as part of a larger experiment on reduced working weeks.

The 4 Day Week Global organization was founded by Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart.

Title:

Content: Ina Opperman
Business Journalist
3 minute read
26 Feb 2023
10:00 am

Largest 4-day week trial results good news for future of work

Ina Opperman

Will a 4-day workweek work? It seems that employees and employers are happy.

The results of the world’s largest 4-day week trial is good news for the future of work, with new research showing that these results are largely in line with existing global evidence, further demonstrating the benefits of reduced-hour, output-focused working.

The pilot programme conducted in the UK by non-profit 4 Day Week Global, the UK’s 4-Day Week Campaign and think tank Autonomy, guided over 60 companies and almost 3 000 workers through a six-month trial of a 4-day week, with no loss of pay for workers.

This brings the global campaign’s total number of completed pilot participants to 91 companies and approximately 3 500 employees. Lead researcher, professor Juliet Schor of Boston College, says overall results show that almost every organisation will stick to a 4-day week after the trial, with 91% definitely continuing or planning to continue and another 4% leaning towards continuing. Only 4% of participants are definitely not continuing.

Participating companies rated their overall experience of the trials at an average of 8.5/10, with business productivity and business performance each scoring 7.5/10. Revenue increased by 35% over the trial periods when compared to similar periods from the previous year, while hiring increased and absenteeism decreased.

ALSO READ: 28 SA companies to implement 4-day work week on 1 March

Improved employee wellbeing and health

During the trial it was also found that the health and wellbeing of employees also improved, with significant increases observed in physical and mental health, time spent exercising and overall life and job satisfaction. Rates of stress, burnout and fatigue all decreased along with problems with sleep.

Even the environmental outcomes were encouraging, with commuting time falling across the full sample by a half hour per week.

Schor says she observed an encouraging consistency in the data, with results largely steady across workplaces of varying sizes, demonstrating this is an innovation which works for many types of organisations.

“There are also some interesting differences. We found that employees in non-profits and professional services had a larger average increase in time spent exercising, while those in construction and manufacturing enjoyed the largest reductions in burnout and sleep problems.”

Behavioural scientist and new CEO of 4-Day Week Global, Dr Dale Whelehan, explained the sample produced interesting differences in gender outcomes. “While men and women benefit from a 4-day week, women’s experience is generally better for burnout, life and job satisfaction, mental health and reduced commuting time.”

ALSO READ: 4-day work week pilot so successful, all participating companies sticking to it

4-day workweek also balances home tasks

Encouragingly, the research also showed that the burden of non-work duties appears to be balancing out, with more men taking on a greater share of housework and childcare.

Co-founder and MD of 4-Day Week Global, Charlotte Lockhart, says her team is delighted to be expanding the arguments in favour of a 4-day week with this new world-class academic research. “We look forward to adding our Australasian pilot results to this data set in the coming weeks and our European, South African, Brazilian and North American results in the coming months.”

4-Day Week Global was founded in New Zealand by entrepreneurs and philanthropists, Andrew Barnes and Charlotte Lockhart, following the world-renowned success of their pioneering trial of the 4-day week in Perpetual Guardian.

Their approach is based on the 100-80-100™ model designed by Lockhart alongside the Perpetual Guardian trial in 2018. That means 100% of the pay, for 80% of the time, in exchange for a commitment to deliver 100% of the output.

4-Day Week Global’s ambition is to make a 4-day week the new default and reduced working time the new standard.

Which company in New Zealand implemented 4-day workweek?

Approximately 3,000 employees participated in the 4-day workweek study in the United Kingdom.

The 4-day workweek study involved more than 3,000 employees from over 60 companies in the UK.

Title:

Content: Since June 1 this year, more than 3,000 employees from more than 60 companies in the United Kingdom have conducted a social experiment with a six-month “four-day work ”.
Since 2018, the non-profit organization of "4 Day Week Global" wants to test whether the public interest of "80% working time - 100% wages - 100% productivity" and "three days off a week, labor and management win" really exists.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak so far in 2020, many enterprises have adopted the method of “working from home, diverting work ”, and in the long process of the epidemic, working from home and working from home has become an emerging work style.
Since the end of the epidemic this year, many countries have returned to their original or new jobs, whether they are blue-collar and white-collar workers who have left or changed jobs.
However, in more than two years, the transformation of various workplaces in the enterprise to survive, and the labor compromise of "unpaid leave + retained work" have made more and more pioneer projects of "four days a week", and the industry category has become more and more diversified, becoming a new opportunity to promote.
Among them, the most representative is Iceland.
According to media reports in the middle of last year: “The three-day weekend experiment in Iceland has been a success, and workers ’ happiness and productivity have improved ”; the reason for this is:“ Employees face less workplace stress, anxiety, depression and exhaustion, and therefore work harder and take fewer sick days; workers feel more leisure time, and therefore are more committed to their work. ”
This conclusion, in addition to the ethical questions of the willingness of enterprises and workers to participate, and whether or not to remain anonymous, also requires the testing of more rigorous research methods, such as the length of the experiment, whether the industry type and size of the experiment is consistent, and the working tolerance of the workers involved in the experiment, are worthy of further investigation.
On the other hand, the three-day experiment, the success stories of Iceland, New Zealand, and British Columbia, Canada, did not clearly describe the type of industry, the development of the industry in each country, and whether the size of the enterprises in the industry varies greatly.
In addition, across all continents of the world, countries have different levels of economic development, industrial structures have their own characteristics, and the government originally conferred statutory labor rights and interests, are also different.
In addition to industries that are not suitable for at-home work, the sense of alienation of human relationships, the synergy of face-to-face communication, and whether innovation requires teamwork have become the focus of discussion.
On the front page of the “Four Days a Week Worldwide ” website, the home page shows where the current pioneer projects are located on every continent around the world. Surprisingly, Central and South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia each launched at least five projects, but in Canada and the United States, there is only one pilot project.
Moreover, the website reveals that “working four days a week makes 78% of employees feel happier and less stressed. ”
It can also be seen that not only developed countries are promoting, in fact, more developing countries are also conducting experiments.
While there is a lack of a more convincing description of the experimental design, it is clear that this is indeed a possible new type of workplace.
Because of this, in addition to the pilot of national enterprises to cooperate with international non-profit organizations, there are also governments taking the lead in responding.
Spain ’ s leftist political party, once launched a “three days off ” policy in 2021, and the Spanish government agreed to test the new work system of“ 32 hours per week (8 hours per day) ” on a limited scale. 200 companies are willing to participate, and 3,000 to 6,000 workers benefit.
The result of such a trial gives more room for imagination to "take three days off every week, and employees will win both."
The social experiment of "80% of working hours - 100% of wages - 100% of productivity" has important policy significance for the harmony of labor relations and the long-term development of the economy.
"High working hours" does not mean "high productivity", which is the general consensus of the current society.
"Shorten working hours, wages unchanged", helps companies retain employees, perhaps without controversy; but whether it can also maintain 100% of the work output is questioned by the business community.
After the epidemic, "three days off a week, labor and management win" is applicable to some specific industry categories, and the nature of the work of individual employees may also be more widely distributed in various industries.
And the flexibility of working hours, the heterogeneity of the workplace, the universalization of work dispatch, and even the high expectations of the young generation for "enterprise decentralization" are all the help of "working four days a week", which may be a major challenge for enterprises in the future.
# Work # Employee # Business # Home # 4 Days

Approximately 3,000 employees participated in a 6-month study on the effectiveness of a 4-day workweek, which showed improvements in mental and physical health and reductions in anxiety and fatigue.

Title:

Content: 21 February 2023, Tuesday, 14: 18
This is Charter 97!
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Sociologists from Cambridge proved the effectiveness of a four-day work week
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This change did not affect the company ’ s revenue.
A team of Cambridge University sociologists, together with the British non-profit human rights group 4 Day Week Global, evaluated the effectiveness of the four-day work week.
The results of the study were published on the website 4 Day Week Global.
For six months, several companies have switched to a new format of the working week without reducing the salaries of employees.
In total, about 3 thousand employees switched to the new format.
At the beginning, middle, and end of the study, participants were asked about their performance at work, stress, burnout, and overall well-being.
Staff estimates indicate that anxiety and fatigue levels have decreased, while mental and physical health have improved.
71% of employees reported a lower level of burnout, and 39% said they experienced less stress compared to the beginning of the study.
The number of sick days decreased by 65%, and the number of employees who resigned at their own request decreased by 57%.
The company ’ s revenue has hardly changed during the trial period.
Many respondents also said that it has become easier for them to combine work with family and social obligations.
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What did  the trial of 4-day workwee in New Zealand show?

The 4-day workweek study involved approximately 3,000 employees from over 60 companies in the UK.

A 4-day workweek study involved 3,000 employees.

Title:

Content: From education to employment

Four day week – now more important to professionals than work socials

Say good-bye to work culture: Three quarters of professionals (71%) have stated that they would be willing to give up work socials and relationships with colleagues, in favour of a 4-day working week.

The findings come from a recent poll by leading recruiter Robert Walters, of 3,000+ working professionals – and highlights the ‘not-so appealing side’ of the 4-day week to employers, with office relationships taking the biggest hit.

Chris Poole – Managing Director of Robert Walters UK, comments:

“Workplaces have only just turned a corner and started to see more faces in the office – with that has come a burst of energy, collaboration, creativity, and productivity. It is a slight kick-in-the-teeth to hear that a progressive well-being initiative such as a 4-day week could have such a detrimental impact on workplace culture and business relationships.

“With the trials of 4-days being so new to many organisations, the long-term impact is hard to ascertain – but with 71% of professionals willing to forego socials and business relationships, companies should be mindful that poor company culture already costs the UK economy upwards of £20bn a year.

“As with what we experienced with remote working and then the move to hybrid, any change in the workplace brings about its challenges – and a 4-day week will be no different, business leaders need to tread with caution.”

Whilst professionals would give up the social side of their working lives, only 13% are inclined to forego hybrid work arrangements, and only 7% would sacrifice training opportunities in favour of less working days.

Entitlement at its Best?

According to the findings from Robert Walters, a staggering 91% of professionals would be keen for their employer to implement a 4-day week. In fact, a 4-day week now tops the poll on most desirable perks when applying for a job – with 49% stating that this would appeal to them most on a job description, followed by the ability to work from anywhere (35%).

With half of professionals who would like a 4-day week expecting their full pay to remain the same, debates have begun on whether the post-pandemic workforce are ‘the most entitled yet’ – with fewer professionals feeling responsibility for the financial health or stability of their employer.

Just 15% of professionals stated that they would take a 10-15% pay increase over the option of a 4-day week, and it seems office-based soft perks such as work socials or complimentary lunch or breakfasts, are less appealing in the face of fewer working days – with just 1% stating that they would opt for this over a 4-day working week.

Chris adds:

“It is absolutely right that workplaces should be held more accountable for the wellbeing of their employees, however professionals need to be considerate to the fact this responsibility goes both ways, and they have a duty to contribute to the success of a business, especially in this current period of economic uncertainty.”

The Hidden Data

Earlier this year the independent trail of 60+ companies and around 2,900 employees undertaking a 4-day week concluded – with many highlighting this as a resounding success.

However, when this data is combined with findings from the Robert Walters poll, it seems that possibly only one side of the picture has been painted, as a result it’s also important to consider the potentially negative outcomes of a change in working days.

Key findings from the 4-day Week Pilot Trail include:

  • Overall working hours only reduced by 4 hours – falling short of the 32 it was meant to achieve
  • 28% reported either working more hours, or no change to their 5-days a week hours
  • 49% reported no change in the typical amount of overtime they do – further 17% reported doing more overtime
  • 22% reported an increase in burnout-symptoms
  • 15% reported an increase in sleeping difficulties – further 45% stated that their sleeping quality hadn’t improved/changed significantly
  • 36% reported no-change to work-life balance – further 10% reported a decrease
  • 26% reported no change to work-ability – with 19% reporting a decrease
  • Just 2% stated workload had decreased – 20% reported an increase, and 78% reported no-change
  • 36% reported work-intensity had increased
  • 42% reported an increase in complexity of their work

Chris adds:

“Highlighting this data is by no means a way of pointing out that a 4-day week cannot work. Just as with every kind of trial, a balanced view of the results needs to be provided to assist us in understanding what does and doesn’t work. There is definitely a place for the 4-day working week in business but maybe it’s not the silver-bullet to increase productivity and improved wellbeing, as first thought.”

Recommend0 recommendationsPublished in Employability, Social impact, Work and leadership

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Approximately 2,900 employees from 61 companies participated in the UK's 4-day workweek test.

The UK's 4-day workweek test involved approximately 3,000 employees from 61 British businesses.

Approximately 2,900 employees participated in the UK's 4-day workweek test.

The UK's 4-day workweek test involved 2900 employees from 61 companies, who maintained a three-day weekend work mode for six months with no change in salary.

Title:

Content: The 3-day experiment was successful!
Employees say, "Can't go back," and the company benefits.
Editorial Center / General Report
Most countries around the world still use the “five-day work ” system, which allows employees to get two days off in seven days a week.
However, in recent years, some advanced countries have begun to carry out "three days off" experiments. Recently, the United Kingdom carried out a test that lasted for half a year, and the results showed that three days off a week is not only conducive to the health of employees, but also the company can benefit from it.
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According to foreign media reports, researchers from the British non-profit organization "4 Day Week Global" and top universities such as Autonomy think tank, Cambridge, Oxford and Boston, USA, led the three-day weekend trial, and found 61 companies in different fields, a total of 2,900 employees from June 2022, to maintain the three-day weekend work mode for six months, with no change in salary.
This experiment is also the world 's largest weekly rest 3 day experiment, also in the recent experimental results released, the results found that for employees, not only can get enough sleep and improve anxiety problems, work laziness, but also more time to study and accompany their families, "71% of employees think that after the implementation of the weekly rest 3 days, work laziness is reduced, 40% of people also feel their own. Mental health and physical conditions have improved", and 96% of the employees admitted that they prefer to take a 3-day week off, and 15% of them insisted that they continue to take a 3-day week off, even if the salary is increased, they will not want to return to the 2-day week mode.
Brendan Burchell, a professor of social sciences at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, also mentioned that before the trial, there was concern that employees working only four days a week might usher in higher intensity work, which would offset the benefits of three days off, but the results showed that “people found various ways to be more productive and reduce a lot of time wasted. ”
Because of the improvement of the physical and mental conditions of employees, the 61 companies in this experiment also benefited, not only the number of sick days of employees decreased by 60%, the turnover rate of employees decreased, and the average income increased by about 1%, so most companies want to continue to implement the three-day week off model.
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"A total of 2,900 employees from 61 companies in the UK participated in a 4-day workweek pilot, which resulted in improved employee well-being and no significant loss of revenue for the companies."

Title:

Content: Scottish public sector workers have started working a four-day week to test whether the practice could be rolled out country-wide.

The Scottish Government confirmed a pilot was underway involving around 140 staff at South of Scotland Enterprise doing a 32-hour week without loss of pay.

Although this represents only three hours less per week, the shift to four day working is seen as key to changing people's work-life balance.

The move follows Humza Yousaf announcing the experiment as part of his Programme for Government last September.

It was confirmed in a written parliamentary answer by economy secretary Neil Gray.

He said: “Work has commenced on the 4 Day Working Week Public Sector Pilot to assess the wellbeing, environmental and productivity benefits a 4 Day Working Week could bring.

“We have appointed [think tank] Autonomy as our expert partner to support the pilot.

“The team involved in this project have previous 4 Day Working Week pilot experience including from the Valencian Government pilot, and the Icelandic public sector pilot.

“The South of Scotland Enterprise 4 Day Working Week pathfinder work is being folded into Autonomy’s methodology, and engagement will continue with other public bodies interested in participating in the 32-hour working week pilot.

“Autonomy will also provide support and evaluate organisations moving to a contractual 35 hour working week.

“This will capture valuable insights from a wider range of public bodies on different shorter work week models and be included in the 4 Day Working Week evaluation report.”

READ MORE: Jason Leitch confirms he wiped pandemic WhatsApp messages

The pilot is expected to run around 12 months to see if it can extended across the Scottish public sector and inspire the private sector to adopt it.

In 2022, a six-month pilot involving 61 companies employing 2,900 people in the UK ended with 56 of the firms reporting they would continue with the system, 18 permanently.

Employees reported feeling less stressed, anxious, fatigued and sleepless afterwards, while company revenues stayed broadly the same or higher.

Almost one in six employees said they would not accept a return to a five-day week.

Green MSP Ross Greer, whose question elicited the information, said normalising a four-day working week with no loss of pay would transform workers’ health and wellbeing.

Mr Greer, whose party has had a four-day week for staff since 2022, said: “The four-day working week has a transformative impact on work-life balance, health and happiness.

“It means people can spend more time with their families, friends and loved ones and it helps employers retain staff and boost productivity.

“We have seen the benefits for ourselves, including better job satisfaction and a reduction in stress. The Scottish Government is rightly leading by example with these pilots.

“They will provide a lot of useful evidence and lessons which will in turn help other sectors and businesses to make the shift.”

READ MORE: Sturgeon blasted Aberdeen FC  Covid statement ‘abomination’

Will Stronge, Director of Research at Autonomy, said: “We're very pleased to be working with the Scottish Government on this historic trial.

“Alongside those who are already underway with the pilot and others who have already expressed interest, we will be looking to sign up a number of public sector organisations as the year progresses.

“A four-day week with no loss of pay has been trialled extensively across the private sector and parts of the public sector to great success: it’s important that we find out if it can also work in public sector organisations in Scotland.”

Joe Ryle, Director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, added: “Numerous trials and pilots from across the world have shown that a four-day week with no loss of pay increases productivity and improves work-life balance.

“It is working extremely well for many businesses in the private sector so it's only right and fair to see if those benefits can be applied to the public sector.

“One hundred years ago we moved from a six-day week to a five-day week. It's great to see Scotland now leading the charge towards a four-day week."

"Similar four-day workweek experiments have been conducted in several countries, including New Zealand, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Belgium, Iceland, and Japan."

Title:

Content: 16 +
More news
More surveys
With the advent of new technologies and the introduction of digitalization, labor relations should be accompanied by processes of reducing labor time.
Why it is difficult to make predictions about the introduction of the “four-day ” in Russia
Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans Affairs Yaroslav Nilov said that the transition to a four-day working week is “a matter of the near future. ”
Candidate of Economic Sciences, President of the Association of Managers and Specialists in Human Resources Management of the Sverdlovsk Region, Head of the Department of Labor Economics and Human Resources Management of USUE Svetlana Dolzhenko explained what work schedule is optimal for most people, and why it is difficult to make predictions about the introduction of a “four-day ” in Russia.
In the Labor Code of Russia, the schedule of work is regulated by 91 articles, according to which the normal duration of the working week cannot exceed 40 hours.
This is due, among other things, to numerous scientific studies on the organization of work and the formation of a balance between work and personal life.
The logic is simple: time to rest should be enough to restore strength for subsequent effective activities.
At the same time, there are several options for working hours: for example, two after two, five-day and six-day working weeks or an incomplete one.
The idea of a four-day work week is not new.
Back in the twenties of the last century, Henry Ford, the founder of the automobile company, realized that well-rested workers work more productively.
At the moment, a reduced work schedule is successfully practiced abroad.
For example, Perpetual Guardian insurance company in New Zealand introduced a 32-hour work week a few years ago.
According to the results, workers not only manage to do the same amount of work in four days as in five, but also become more motivated (by 24%), and productivity increases by 20%.
Another example is Microsoft Japan.
There, with the introduction of a four-day work week, productivity increased by 40%.
For enterprises in Japan, this case is especially important, since it is in this country that the term “karoshi ” means death from processing.
Since the 1950s, Japan has become a benchmark for hard work around the world.
Japanese companies offered workers a lifetime job guarantee and high wages in exchange for irregular working hours and loyalty to superiors.
And business leaders got what they wanted — incredible productivity gains.
But over time, these conditions led to the opposite effect, people were too tired and could not perform their work qualitatively.
In Russia, the proposal to switch to a four-day working week was first put forward in 2019 at that time by the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev.
At the moment, making predictions about the reduction of the working week is quite difficult.
While the deputies did not present the bill, it is not clear how exactly it is proposed to change the regime: an 8-hour working day from Monday to Thursday or a weekly workload of 40 hours will be distributed over four days - a 10-hour working day will be introduced.
And in addition, it is not clear what will happen after the innovations with the salary - will be reduced in proportion to a decrease in the amount of time worked or will remain at the same level?
It is only obvious that with the advent of new technologies and the introduction of digitalization, labor relations should be accompanied, as they were centuries ago, by processes of reducing labor time.
This requires more flexible labor legislation, which in turn will definitely lead to an increase in labor productivity.
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"Several countries, including Iceland, Scotland, Wales, Sweden, New Zealand, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, Belgium, and Japan, have conducted or proposed four-day workweek experiments."

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Content: The 4-day work week: Who is trialing it and does it work? | World | Breaking news and perspectives from around the globe | DW | 17.02.2022

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World

The 4-day work week: Who is trialing it and does it work?

Belgium will now offer employees the opportunity to work a four-day week. Various countries and companies have experimented with the idea, which is gaining traction in many parts of the world.

Who doesn't dream of less time spent at work?

Four days working, three days relaxing with friends and family. And all this for the same money. What's not to like? Surely most employees would jump at the chance. Advocates for the four-day work week suggest that when it is implemented worker satisfaction increases, as does productivity.

Belgium will now be introducing four-day work weeks for those who want it. However, employees will not be working less. They will simply condense their hours into fewer days, if they want to. They will be allowed to decide flexibly on whether to work four or five days a week.

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo hopes that the model will help to create a more dynamic economy and will make it easier for people to combine their family lives with their career. But some full-time employees will be working very long days if they choose to condense their hours. Others, like shift workers, will simply not have the option of that flexibility.

DW explores which countries and companies have already experimented with the four-day working week.

Iceland: Fewer hours at full pay

Iceland tested a similar model from 2015 and 2019. However, it reduced the working week from 40 to 35 or 36 hours and maintained pay levels. Some 2,500 people took part in the test phase.

A study by the Icelandic non-profit Alda (Association for Democracy and Sustainability) and the British think tank Autonomy found that the well-being of participants had improved significantly, working processes had been optimized and there was closer collaboration between colleagues. Productivity either stayed the same or improved.

After the test phase, trade unions and associations negotiated permanent cuts in working hours. Some 86% of employees now have the right to a four-day week.

The shorter work week is a success in Iceland, whose prime minister is Katrín Jakobsdottir

Scotland and Wales: An expensive experiment

Scotland is also currently testing the four-day work week, with the state supporting participating companies with about £10 million (ca. $13.6 million). In Wales, Sophie Howe, the future generations commissioner, has also called on the government to introduce a similar four-day working week trial, at least in the public sector.

Mixed results in Sweden

In Sweden, a four-day working week with full pay was tested in 2015, with mixed results. Even left-wing parties thought that it would be too expensive to implement this on a large scale. But some companies chose to keep reduced hours for their workers. The car firm Toyota had already decided to do this for mechanics 10 years ago and has stuck with its decision.

Watch video 02:25

Working less for the same money

Fake news from Finland

Finland also hit the international headlines for a brief moment, after reportedly cutting working hours dramatically. The northern European country allegedly wanted introduce a four-day working week, as well as a six-hour day. But it turned out that this was fake news, which the government then had to put straight.

Spain struggles to start trial phase

In Spain, the four-day working week will also be tested on request of the left-wing party Mas Pais. Some 6,000 employees of 200 small and medium-sized companies will be able to extend their weekend by one day, with full pay. The trial phase is due to run for at least one year, but it is not yet clear when it will begin.

From start-ups to corporate giants

In Germany, it is mainly smaller start-ups that are experimenting with a shorter working week. But in other countries, such as Japan, it is bigger companies that are venturing into this territory: For example, the tech giant Microsoft has experimented with the model by offering employees three-day weekends for a month.

In New Zealand, the consumer goods giant Unilever is currently trialing a four-day work week at full pay. If the experiment turns out to be a success, it will reportedly be extended to other countries.

This article was originally written in German.

Similar four-day workweek experiments have been conducted in several countries, including New Zealand, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Belgium, Iceland, and Japan.

Title:

Content: news

Portugal Just Launched a ‘Government-Funded' 4-Day Workweek Trial

Portugal is the latest country to experiment with a four-day workweek, and businesses are getting an assist from the government.

For the next six months, 39 private-sector businesses in the country will participate in a "government-funded" pilot program in partnership with 4 Day Week Global, the nonprofit behind several prominent four-day workweek experiments around the world, according to a release from the group.

Employers have agreed to reduce the number of hours employees work every week from without cutting their pay through the 100-80-100 model: Workers get 100% of the pay for working 80% of the time in exchange for delivering 100% of their usual output.

Some 72% of the Portuguese labor force works more than 40 hours per week, making it the OECD country with the third-longest average workweek after the United Kingdom and Ireland, according to a report from University of London and University of Reading researchers overseeing the program.

Most of the businesses in the experiment are in the professional, scientific and technical fields, but the program's cohort also includes a nursery, care home, stem cells bank, research and development center, and firms from manufacturing, retail and nonprofit sectors.

Businesses say they want to see if a shortened workweek will help reduce employee stress and burnout, and in turn improve worker retention. Researchers also hope to track the economic, social and environmental implications of a four-day business week in Portugal.

4 Day Week Global has led several high-profile experiments around the world, which have gained momentum throughout the pandemic as businesses and employees began to re-think the modern work experience.

A trial in the U.S. last year proved to be wildly popular, with workers reporting they performed better and were less burned out. Many said they could never return to a traditional five-day week, or at least not without a significant pay bump. Employers benefited, too: Businesses reported an 8% increase in revenue throughout the trial period, and a 38% increase from the same time period a year prior.

4 Day Week Global's largest experiment to date included nearly 3,000 workers throughout the U.K. last year, with participants reporting better health, finances and relationships.

Although no country has fully adopted a four-day workweek, trials have run in South Africa, Belgium, Iceland, Japan and elsewhere.

Portugal has become a popular destination for American millennials looking to relocate internationally thanks to its affordable living and good weather. The number of Americans residing in Portugal is at its highest level in more than a decade, according to the Portuguese Immigration and Borders Service. There were about 7,000 Americans living in the country at the end of 2021, more than double three years earlier.

And the country launched its own digital nomad visa last year, making it even easier for workers from any countries that aren't part of the European Union or European Economic Area to start a new life abroad.

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The UK started its 4-day workweek social experiment on June 1, 2022, involving over 3,000 employees from more than 60 companies.

The UK began its 4-day workweek social experiment on June 1, 2022, with 61 companies participating, yielding generally positive results.

The UK initiated a 4-day workweek social experiment on June 1, 2022, involving 3,300 employees from 70 companies, aiming to assess its impact on productivity, stress, and overall well-being.

The UK began its 4-day workweek social experiment on June 1, 2022, involving 70 businesses and over 3,000 employees, to study its effects.

The UK started its 4-day workweek social experiment on June 1, 2022, as part of a growing trend to improve work-life balance and productivity.

Title:

Content: FINANCIAL TIMES
Intensifying labor does not make us richer.
More trouble.
The idea that technology can free us from the hardship of work is a powerful one.
It has also been a strong disappointment, at least so far.
Many lament the fact that John Maynard Keynes thought we could all work 15 hours a week by the time we live now.
But it ’ s not just about working hours.
The nature of work also seems to have changed in the past three decades.
Despite the new technology – or perhaps because of it – people now say they work harder and have tighter deadlines under higher levels of stress.
The best evidence for this comes from the UK.
Large, government-funded surveys, conducted every five years, show that “work intensification ” has increased since the 1990s.
The percentage of employees who “strongly agree ” that their job requires them to work“ very seriously ” increased from 30 percent in 1992 to 46 percent in 2017.
The proportion of those with "tight deadlines" increased from 53 per cent to 60 per cent.
The proportion of those who say they work at “very high speed ” has swelled at least three-quarters of the time, from 23 percent to 45 percent.
What ’ s remarkable about this trend is that it happens to everyone.
Francis Green, a professor at University College London, who has studied the phenomenon for years, said: “Not only are those on Amazon ’ s production line, but also London transport workers and new lawyers.
According to an analysis by the Research Foundation, just over two-thirds of employees in the top quarter of the salary scale reported that they worked “under a great deal of stress ” in 2017.
The same applies to half of workers in the minimum wage quarter, but this latter group has seen the biggest increase in tension since the 1990s.
Studies have found that work has become heavy for managers, nurses, aviation workers, meat processing workers, school teachers, IT staff, and caregivers.
There is also evidence of intensified action in Europe and the United States.
Hey, what's happening?
In the 1990s, people said that their “own discretion ” was the most important factor in how hard they worked.
Now they are more likely to cite “customers or consumers. ”
In a world of instant communication, many workers now feel they have to respond quickly to consumer or customer requests.
This applies to the banker who is working on a major merger and the Uber Eats driver who summons him to bring him a burger.
In the newspaper industry, we publish important breaking news online as quickly as possible.
I sometimes think sadly about our ancestors who used the internet and who only had to worry about the printing deadline.
Another possible explanation is that employers simply reduced the number of employees to save costs without coming up with more efficient ways of getting the work done.
This will no doubt resonate with UK public sector workers who suffered a decade of cuts in government spending after the financial crisis.
Some companies have also harnessed technology to extract more employee effort.
More workplaces, such as warehouses, have become partially automated, meaning workers have to keep up with machines.
It is now easier to monitor other workers.
See the growth of programs that track employees ’ keystrokes, measure breaks, and send alerts if they get lost to non-work locations.
A fourth possibility is that email and instant messaging platforms, such as Slack, get people mentally tired.
It ’ s hard to focus on ongoing interruptions, which can make workers feel like they ’ re working hard and fast even if they haven ’ t done much.
This raises the key question of productivity.
It doesn ’ t necessarily have to be bad for people to work harder if they have some spare power.
In the end, higher productivity should lead to better living standards.
But the intensification of labour in the UK has coincided with weak productivity growth in the past decade.
Working harder doesn ’ t seem to make us richer, but it does seem to make us harder.
A new study by academics Tom Hunt and Harry Picard suggests that “working at high intensity ” increases the likelihood that people report stress, depression and burnout.
Data from the UK ’ s Department of Health and Safety show that the proportion of people suffering from work stress, depression, or anxiety was rising even before the outbreak.
What can be done?
It will be difficult to undo the various factors that have combined to intensify the work.
In the absence of simple policy solutions, it ’ s easy to see why the four-day week campaign is gaining momentum – with the UK workplace experiment starting this week.
If we can ’ t work less, maybe we should reduce the work.
Publish it.
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