Four-day working week trial begins - with 40 firms already offering reduced hour

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

1. 3D Issue - a digital publishing platform
2. Advice Direct Scotland - an advice hub
3. Autonomy - an independent thinktank
4. Big Potato Games - a board game company
5. Blink - a specialist digital marketing agency
6. CMG Technologies - 3D metal moulding
7. Causeway Irish Housing Association - a not-for-profit organisation provind temporary accommodation for young single homeless people
8. Charlton Morris - a specialist search firm
9. Common Knowledge - a not-for-profit building digital tools for grassroots organisers
10. Contour Couture - an aesthetics company
11. Crystallised - a marketing agency
12. Datalase - laser equipment supplier
13. Earth Science Partnership - a consultancy of engineers, geologists and applied environmental scientists
14. Elektra Lighting - lighting consultants
15. Entrepreneurs Circle - a business development service
16. Evolved - search marketing specialists
17. Four Day Week Ltd - a jobs site for four day week and flexible roles
18. Geeks For Social Change - software developers, activists and researchers with a social agenda
19. Gracefruit - a cosmetics company
20. Highfield Professional Solutions - an employment agency
21. Legacy Events - an events management company
22. MRL - a specialist recruitment company for high technology and financial markets
23. PTHR - a design, development and change consultancy
24. Punch Creative - a digital marketing agency
25. Reboot - a digital marketing firm
26. Resilience Brokers - working to improve climate resilience
27. Reward Agency - a marketing agency
28. STOP AIDS - a HIV and AIDS charity
29. Sinister Fish Games - a board game company
30. Social Enterprise Direct - a technological solutions company
31. Softer Success - working with employees to prevent burnout
32. T-Cup Studios - helping employee wellbeing
33. Target Publishing - an independent publisher
34. Technovent - a supplier of medical products for the body prosthesis sector
35. The Circle - hub for charities, social enterprises, community groups and businesses
36. The UPAC Group - a packaging supplier
37. Venture Stream - a digital marketing agency
38. YWCA Scotland - a movement of women leading change
39. flocc - a digital marketing agency
40. streamGO - an events platform

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