Employees prefer 4-day office vs. 5-day hybrid setup — survey
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — About two-thirds of British professionals prefer a four-day in-office setup over a five-day hybrid workweek after six months of undergoing a four-day workweek trial.
In a survey conducted by recruitment company Hays, 92% of employees from companies who participated in the trial said that a shorter workweek positively impacted their home lives.
Meanwhile, about 90% of survey respondents said a four-day workweek could improve employee mental health and well-being.
On top of that, about two-thirds of those surveyed added that they would be tempted to join another organization should it offer a four-day workweek.
The United Kingdom trialed a four-day workweek between June to December 2022, where employees cut their weekly working hours by 20% for six months without taking a hit on their salaries.
Of the 61 companies participating in the trial, 56 said they would continue, while 18 said they would make it a permanent arrangement.
Researchers also found that fewer workers resigned or took sick days off during the trial period compared to the previous year. Businesses that shared sales figures also reported higher revenues in the same period.
Workers, too, felt the benefits of a four-day workweek — about 70% reported lower levels of burnout.
Kieran Woof, a senior science-policy officer at the Royal Society of Biology, added that having a 3-day weekend allows employees to “go back into the working week a lot more energized and mentally a lot more prepared and motivated.”
