A six-month trial run by academics at the universities of Cambridge and Oxford will see staff from different organisations completing the same amount of work, and up to 35 hours a week, but spread over four days instead of five.
The pilot programme will be run in conjunction with academics, the UK 4 Day Week Campaign and the thinktank Autonomy. It is being overseen by 4 Day Week Global, a campaign group based in New Zealand, reports The Mirror.
The group is aiming for 30 UK companies to be a part of the trial - with six having signed a deal so far.
Canon Medical Research, which develops AI software, will run the trial among its 140 employees.
Ken Sutherland, the president of Canon Medical Research Europe, said: “We recognise that working patterns and the focus we all give to our work-life balance has changed substantially during the pandemic.
“As a responsive employer we are always looking at how we can adapt our working practices to ensure that employees find their time with us is meaningful, fulfilling and productive. For this reason, we’re keen to pilot a four-day week to see if it can work for us.”
Employees will be kept on the same salary despite dropping down to a four-day working week.
Think tank Autonomy argues the benefits include increased productivity and improved staff retention.
Job site Adecco says it can relieve pressure on working parents, but does highlight that it is not possible for all industries to adopt the four-day working week as having to fit more work into fewer days could lead to workplace stress.
Labour floated a policy of a 32-hour working with no loss of pay within ten years during the 2019 election which is when the four-day working week picked up momentum.
In November, Atom Bank permanently moved to a four-day week - while Panasonic said this year it would make the shorter week optional among its workforce.
UK supermarket chain Morrisons has said it would introduce the measure for employees at its Bradford headquarters, according to The Guardian.
In August 2019, Microsoft Japan implemented a four-day week giving 2,300 employees five Fridays off in a row - with the company reporting that productivity increased by 40%.
Iceland trialled a four-day working week between 2015 and 2019 - with researchers labelling it an "overwhelming success".
Hospitals and schools were included in the trial - moving from 40 hour weeks to 36 or 35 hours, with reports of an improved level of productivity among employees.
The trial involved more than 2,500 workers, equal to approximately 1 per cent of Iceland's workforce.
Will Stronge, at think tank Autonomy, said: “This study shows that the world's largest ever trial of a shorter working week in the public sector was by all measures an overwhelming success.
“It shows that the public sector is ripe for being a pioneer of shorter working weeks - and lessons can be learned for other governments.”
Joe O’Connor, pilot programme manager for 4 Day Week Global, said the concept will “herald in a bold new future of work” during 2022.
Mr O'Connor said: “More and more businesses are moving to productivity focused strategies to enable them to reduce worker hours without reducing pay.
“The four-day week challenges the current model of work and helps companies move away from simply measuring how long people are “at work”, to a sharper focus on the output being produced. 2022 will be the year that heralds in this bold new future of work.”
List of 40 companies currently offering a four day week
- 3D Issue - a digital publishing platform
- Advice Direct Scotland - an advice hub
- Autonomy - an independent thinktank
- Big Potato Games - a board game company
- Blink - a specialist digital marketing agency
- CMG Technologies - 3D metal moulding
- Causeway Irish Housing Association - a not-for-profit organisation provind temporary accommodation for young single homeless people
- Charlton Morris - a specialist search firm
- Common Knowledge - a not-for-profit building digital tools for grassroots organisers
- Contour Couture - an aesthetics company
- Crystallised - a marketing agency
- Datalase - laser equipment supplier
- Earth Science Partnership - a consultancy of engineers, geologists and applied environmental scientists
- Elektra Lighting - lighting consultants
- Entrepreneurs Circle - a business development service
- Evolved - search marketing specialists
- Four Day Week Ltd - a jobs site for four day week and flexible roles
- Geeks For Social Change - software developers, activists and researchers with a social agenda
- Gracefruit - a cosmetics company
- Highfield Professional Solutions - an employment agency
- Legacy Events - an events management company
- MRL - a specialist recruitment company for high technology and financial markets
- PTHR - a design, development and change consultancy
- Punch Creative - a digital marketing agency
- Reboot - a digital marketing firm
- Resilience Brokers - working to improve climate resilience
- Reward Agency - a marketing agency
- STOP AIDS - a HIV and AIDS charity
- Sinister Fish Games - a board game company
- Social Enterprise Direct - a technological solutions company
- Softer Success - working with employees to prevent burnout
- T-Cup Studios - helping employee wellbeing
- Target Publishing - an independent publisher
- Technovent - a supplier of medical products for the body prosthesis sector
- The Circle - hub for charities, social enterprises, community groups and businesses
- The UPAC Group - a packaging supplier
- Venture Stream - a digital marketing agency
- YWCA Scotland - a movement of women leading change
- flocc - a digital marketing agency
- streamGO - an events platform
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