UK BEGINS A 4-DAY WORKWEEK TRIAL WITH 1,000 WORKERS IN 17 COMPANIES

Tue 05 November 2024:

The UK launched its first government-backed four-day workweek trial on Monday, allowing over 1,000 employees to work fewer days without a pay cut.

Seventeen businesses, including the British Society for Immunology and Crate Brewery, will test shorter schedules, with some opting for a nine-day fortnight model, according to the Guardian.

An additional four companies are expected to join the pilot soon.

The six-month trial’s outcomes set to be presented to the Labour government next summer.

Nearly 200 UK companies have already adopted the schedule permanently since the campaign’s initial launch in 2022.

Labour leaders, including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, have expressed support for the concept. However, the party has yet to formally endorse the policy.

Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, emphasized the trial’s significance, stating: “We don’t have to just imagine a four-day week anymore because it’s already a reality for hundreds of businesses and tens of thousands of workers in the UK.”

The campaign’s findings are expected to add weight to the Labour government’s ongoing review of work practices, potentially influencing future policy decisions.

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Promising results

The four-day workweek is an alternative model where employees work four days a week instead of the traditional five, often with the same pay and adjusted hours. This model has been trialed across various countries, showing promising results in improving productivity, well-being, and work-life balance.

In Iceland, extensive trials from 2015 to 2019 included thousands of public sector workers who shifted to a 35-36 hour workweek. The results were overwhelmingly positive: productivity remained stable or improved, and employees reported less stress and more time for family and hobbies. Iceland’s trial has influenced other nations to consider shorter workweeks as viable options.

Spain launched a nationwide pilot in 2021, funded by the government to encourage small and medium-sized businesses to test the model without financial risk. The program focuses on reducing burnout and boosting productivity, particularly in industries like tech and creative fields.

In Japan, Microsoft implemented a four-day workweek experiment in 2019, where productivity soared by 40% and electricity consumption dropped by 23%. This outcome sparked interest in the model as a way to combat Japan’s overwork culture, though challenges with adoption persist in traditionally structured companies.

New Zealand and Australia have seen interest from companies like Perpetual Guardian, which trialed the four-day week with success, reporting improved focus and reduced sick days. Many businesses in New Zealand are now advocating for this model, and discussions are ongoing in Australia.

Despite promising results, challenges exist. For sectors like healthcare or customer service, continuous coverage is essential, and not all industries can easily adopt a four-day model. Still, the movement has gained global attention as companies and governments alike explore flexible work structures to increase productivity, improve well-being, and address work-life balance.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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