Nearly all companies that took part in the world's largest trial of a four-day working week have opted to continue with the new pattern, in a result hailed as evidence that it could work across the UK economy. Of the 61 companies that entered the six-month trial, 56 have extended the four-day week, including 18 that have made it permanent.
The findings will be presented to MPs on Tuesday as part of a push urging politicians to give all workers in Britain a 32-hour week. Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, called the trial a 'major breakthrough moment', adding: 'Across a wide variety of sectors, wellbeing has improved dramatically for staff; and business productivity has either been maintained or improved in nearly every case.'
At Sheffield-based Rivelin Robotics, one of the participating firms that plans to continue with the new approach, chief product officer David Mason said he hoped offering a shorter working week would help with future recruitment. 'It's certainly something that makes us a little bit different from the average.'
The UK pilot, which began last June, was promoted by 4 Day Week Global, a not-for-profit organisation founded in New Zealand, and overseen by the thinktank Autonomy and a team of academics. Companies were offered workshops and mentoring to help them rethink working practices, with staff given the opportunity to remain on their existing salary while working across four days instead of five.
Surveys of staff taken before and after the trial found that 39% said they were less stressed, 40% were sleeping better, and 54% said it was easier to balance work and home responsibilities. The number of sick days taken during the trial fell by about two-thirds, and 57% fewer staff left the firms taking part compared with the same period a year earlier. The vast majority of companies reported that they were satisfied with productivity and business performance over the trial period.
