THE DISPATCH
EMPLOYMENT
As people are encouraged to end WFH and return to their offices, plans for a four-day week have sparked much interest. Unsurprisingly
The organisation behind a new UK four-day work week trial says it has been “inundated” with hundreds of enquiries from businesses interested in trying out the model.
“The response to the pilot launch has been phenomenal,” Joe Ryle, campaign director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, told The Big Issue.
“We’ve been inundated with enquiries both from companies looking to sign up, and hundreds of companies signing up to the information sessions we’re holding. It shows how much of an appetite there is in the UK for a four-day week.”
The six-month trial was launched in January by 4 Day Week Global in partnership with think tank Autonomy, the 4 Day Week UK Campaign and researchers at Cambridge University, Oxford University and Boston College, with around 30 British companies expected to take part. Employees will be asked to commit to maintaining at least 100 per cent productivity, and in return, will have an extra day off with no cut to pay.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for organisations who want to be pioneers and trial a four-day week as a way of supporting and empowering workers, enhancing organisational productivity and having a positive impact on our society and the environment,” said Kyle Lewis, co-director of Autonomy.
Shortening the working week has been trialled by global giants including Unilever and Microsoft, with the latter reporting a 40 per cent rise in productivity in their 2019 trial in Japan.
Not all employers have found it’s worked, though. Science research foundation the Wellcome Trust scrapped plans to trial a four-day work week in 2019 for its 800 head
